


Lumpy's Big Adventure

by its-kylux-baby (skunk_ray)



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Biting, Choking, Comedy, Crack, Dom/sub, Explicit Language, General Hux Has No Chill, Kylux - Freeform, M/M, Phasma my homegirl, Rough Sex, Tragicomedy, bottom!Hux, eventually, top!Kylo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-22
Updated: 2016-02-01
Packaged: 2018-05-15 13:11:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 30,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5786434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skunk_ray/pseuds/its-kylux-baby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is Star Wars crack!fic as has been rumored about. A power-mad gay couple in space giving in to total sexual deviancy. Wookies trying to fulfill their life debt and shooting everyone in the mouth with a bowcaster. Somewhere down the writing process this piece of garbage becomes an actual adventure with actual character development and the end is guaranteed to make you cry. Are you ready for the emotional roller coaster that is Lumpy's Big Adventure? Me neither!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Escape

**Author's Note:**

> FOR PORN: Ch. 6,7 and 10. Knock yourselves out.
> 
> Actual plot: Chewbacca returns to his home planet Kashyk to face his own disappointment of a son: Lumpy. To teach him to become a man, Lumpy is forced to join Chewbacca on a dangerous quest to the new lair of the First Order. Meanwhile, during the aftermath following The Force Awakens, General Hux finds himself falling in love with Kylo Ren of all people and winning all ongoing bets on the Finalizer concerning Ren's parents and what in heavens name is in that creepy ashtray in his room. Can they hide their love affair from SL Snoke who is concerned with Ren not fully giving himself to the Dark Side?
> 
> This works contains some M/M in later chapters, strong language, choke sex, domination, and many bad jokes. It's a crack fic alternated with angst. Chapter 6, 7 and 10 are the straight up porn ones if that's more your thing.
> 
> Trash tumblr: its-kylux-baby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> General Hux felt it in his gut. An unknown knowing that Ren regained consciousness, listening and being gravely annoyed by the General’s remarks.

The soothing hum of the life support machines rang against the cold chrome interior of the escape pod. Two stormtroopers had lowered their guard, one of them was even sleeping with his helmet subtly resting on the shoulder plate of its mate. If there was sound in space, it would not be heard now, as the pod made its way into unmapped territory deep in the Unknown Regions.

The only colour in the room was a bright green beeping light, signifying the heartbeat of the decrepit, slim figure lying under the dull plexiglass of the MediPod. The remainder of his clothes stripped, revealing multiple lightsaber wound as well as a deep gash across his face. Blood stains mixed with molten snow in a slow trickling trail down the side of the machine.

“You know what bothers me most about the traitor,” General Hux spoke, slightly taken aback by his own voice cutting through the silence. “He was a most adequate cleaner.”

The General looked with disdain at his stained leather boots, and the path leading from the escape hatch towards the MediPod. A single set of footprints, as the General had personally carried a severely wounded Kylo Ren aboard the escape pod as Starkiller Base crumbled beneath their feet.

Without his mask, Ren weighed surprisingly little.

The blastwave of the explosion of the General’s life work hurt more mentally than physically, even though the General twisted his ankle when they were shaken about. With the help of the two stormtroopers the General had managed to get Kylo Ren inside the MediPod, just in time to look back to the disastrous destruction of Starkiller Base. They’d cut his ridiculous black robes revealing his surprisingly muscular chest and applied pressure pads to his wounds. The MediPod immediately started to regenerate tissue, but it would be hours, even days before Ren should fully heal from his wounds. Enough time to go over his failure a couple of times.

“How will I explain the waste of resources?” the General sneered. It had already been 20 hours without him being able to belittle Ren. He knew the man was in drug-induced coma and unable to shrug and chuckle back, but he simply couldn’t help himself. “A total waste. Just like SL Snoke’s interest in you, seeing how you failed to defeat the girl.”

The green light skipped a beat, and so did the General’s heart for a moment. He rose to his feet and overlooked the patient, whom he could swear was angrily grinding his teeth at him despite the face mask of the air supply covering his voluptuous lips. Ren kept a strict diet throughout his training, and it was showing on the frail, pale figure that was Snoke’s most talented Knight.

General Hux felt it in his gut. An unknown knowing that Ren regained consciousness, listening and being gravely annoyed by the General’s remarks.

This pleased the General.

“Supreme Leader Snoke will be very disappointed. You let her escape, Ren. Of all people, you couldn’t keep your hands on who could be a more powerful Force user than you.”

The light stayed off for much longer now. The General rose from his seat and slammed on the glass cover of the life support pod.

“You will not die, Kylo Ren!” He spit out the name like a sour grape. “SL Snoke will kill me for letting his precious little doggy die.”

The light suddenly flashed brightly, and General Hux started feeling light-headed. Could… Could this be the Force Ren was always going on about? To Hux, a simple man with strict military upbringing, he was always taught to trust nothing but his own eyes, ears and judgement. As seconds passed in the escape pod, he could indeed feel a power overcoming him. Was it Snoke calling to him from the Imperial Base? Had he finally realized it was Hux who was the most capable in command?

General Hux clutched his throat and felt all strength slip from his knees. He fell and leaned against the glass, gasping for air.

Ren was actively Force-choking General Hux through the glass of the MediPod.

“Goddamnit…!” Hux gasped.

Ren had only Force-choked him once before, in a heated argument where General Hux had to admit he also lost his temper. That time, with what felt like the very soul of the enraged Ren reaching out to him, it started a spark inside the General. A spark he was as desperate in trying to suppress as Ren denied his call to the Light. A spark that was starting to burn like a fire inside him, even though every fibre of his being tried to resist it.

There was no escape from the Force-choke. Just as there was no escape from the devastating truth: General Hux was gay for Kylo Ren.

Inside the pod, Ren’s hand moved towards his facemask, removing it with the drunk gesture of a drugged patient. He rolled over, groaning in pain, and pressed his face against the glass. A thick curl broke free from behind his ear and stuck to the half-dried blood on his face.

The General looked up into the dark brown eyes of Snoke’s dearest student. He was so close, he could vaguely make out the tiny freckles speckled across Ren’s face. His peculiar face. His beautiful face. The scar didn’t look as bad now.

Panting, Ren mouthed the words General Hux had never expected.

“Go eat a bag of dicks, Hux.”

~

On the other side of the Galaxy, a somber Chewbacca looked over at the empty seat beside him. The co-pilot seat, his place. Still, his furry head jerked towards the left out of habit, only to find a series of buttons and blinking lights instead of his lifelong friend.

This wasn’t how Chewie imagined becoming main pilot of the Millennium Falcon.

The happy bleeping sound of little BB-8 jerked Chewie awake from his grief. He rested a paw on the metal being’s dome head, and sighed deeply. He thought back to his last conversation with a breathing creature: Rey…

“ _It’s okay, Chewie,”_ Rey had said, and smiled at her tall furry friend. _“I’m going to stay here for a while. Luke says he knows a way to contact you when... When I’m ready.”_

Chewie remembered nodding in compliance, but his mind was far away from Jedi, lightsabers and Force training.

“ _Well… save some bantha surprise for me when I get back!”_ said Rey, and returned to the shingled steps leading back to Master Luke, her cape flopping around in the strong ocean wind.

Atop the hill, Chewie could vaguely make out the silhouette of the lone Jedi knight, but he knew that Luke knew what had happened. Chewie didn’t blame Master Luke for not coming down the hill to greet him. He was about to feel as awkward about reunion once he returned home, to Kashyk.


	2. Authority

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren took a bowcaster shot to the torso and is feeling rather unwell. General Hux has no chill.

“You are not ready to face him,” General Hux complained, while Ren was trying to rip the IV tubes and monitor patches off his body. It was a miracle he’d been able to shake off the sedatives and wake up by himself.

“Force.. will help me…” Ren grunted, and spit out a mouthful of blood. He tore away the remains of the upper part of his robes but decided to let the pressure pads stay for now.

“Let the machine at least fix that hideous-”

“THE SCAR IS STAYING!” Ren yelled, followed by an unhealthy sounding cough. He tried to pound his wounds again, desperately seeking for strength through pain, to help him get up again and at least _stumble_ towards SL Snoke.

The General witnessed this sad display, as Ren fell to the floor and tried to crawl towards the door leading to the temporary base, a Star Destroyer hiding in one of the many asteroid fields in the Unknown Regions.

“Guards… Get some clothes for Mr. Drama.” General Hux raised a leather-gloved hand, and the two sleepy stormtroopers excitedly took this command to heart. They quickly descended down the boarding ramp and onto the docks of the Star destroyer.

Hux knew what to do. If he had to be completely honest with himself, he disliked putting Ren through the abuse that would follow. It would however be necessary to allow Ren to get a grip on his emotions, as the man was not susceptible to any kind of reason during his tantrums.

Ren still gasped for air and managed to get on his knees, slowly looking up at the General. The flame of rage in his eyes had returned, and if Ren still had his lightsaber he would have cut General Hux to pieces together with the rest of the expensive medical equipment in the escape pod. Hux knew that Ren’s satisfaction of destroying Hux’ property was equivalent to the estimated replacement price and inconvenience of repairs.

“Pathetic,” the General sneered, and bored the tip of his boot into Ren’s side, who yelped in pain. “You let your emotions get the better of you, _again_. You lost control. Who knew you couldn’t even face a little, untrained girl -”

“Go fuck… y-yourself…” Ren coughed as he felt blood trickle in his lungs. The MediPod hadn’t completely healed the wounds in his torso yet, and he felt the stinging and burning adding to his humiliation.

“You are a disgrace to SL Snoke. And ultimately…” General Hux smiled, but his voice sounded slightly more unsure than his usual, caustic self.

Ren panted in agony. “I’m going to punch you in the mouth if you say ‘Gramps’.”

“Gramps.”

Ren screamed and got up on his feet, ready to punch General Hux in the mouth, but his weakened arm was quickly grasped and twisted by his tormenter.

“Grampy. Grandpops. Poppa.”

“FUCK YOU!”

“Pappy.”

Ren’s eyes were blind with rage, and tears, as he tried to lash out at the General. He gripped the Force tight, tried to steer and bend it to his will, to choke General Hux or at least loosen his grip on his arm. He focussed on the pain in his body, and the pain in his heart, as he tried to deny that the grand decision he had made earlier on the bridge had weakened him.

_Han didn’t even look surprised. Or angry. Or betrayed._

Suddenly, Hux let go of Ren’s arm, who immediately pushed forward and gripped Hux’ neck tight. Instead of using the Force, he would use his bare hands to choke the life out of that militant red-headed snob.

_As the light saber pierced his father, the only emotion Ren seemed to have spotted was a total abandonment of all hope._

The General didn’t resist at all.

_And it was true._

He stood there and let it happen as his face swell purple and his mouth gasped for air.

_There was no hope for Ren now._

Slowly, Ren loosened his grip on the General’s neck and stared into his bulging red eyes.

“You know I won’t do it,” he whispered. “You know... I would be too much of a coward…”

The General rubbed his sore neck, and gathered all his courage to look the man facing him in the eye. Indeed, he knew Ren wouldn’t kill him. He knew Ren needed him, and vice versa, to face SL Snoke’s demands and ambitions. Neither of them, including inherited talent from a military mastermind father or a late Sith grandfather, could face these challenges alone.

With a rasping voice, Hux replied: “I know you could do it, but you won’t. I want to trust you.”

Taken aback by this answer, Ren stumbled back a few steps. The image of his father distraught look burned in the back of his mind. “Trust, huh…”

“Fighting you is a waste of time. We both want the same thing - kill the Rebel scum responsible for destroying Starkiller Base. Now that I have taunted you and gotten your attention… We need to debrief ASAP.” General Hux quickly fixed his collar and an escaped lock of ginger hair, also in an attempt to mentally gather himself again. In truth, Ren’s touch had excited him more than he liked, and he quickly tried to suppress any unwanted reactions.

Ren sneered. “So practical, Mr. ‘My dad was a General and my first game was Civilization X for hologlasses.’”

To Ren’s surprise, Hux huffed and puffed but presented no rebuttal for that neat burn. “We are summoned to SL Snoke for debriefing. Get dressed,” said the General in an attempt to return to business as normal.

“Oh no, I think I left my buckle polish back on base,” Ren remarked and opened the hatch towards the boarding ramp. At the docks, a stormtrooper stood guard with a set of black robes and a pair of boots, which Ren quickly put on.

As the pair of them hasted towards the holocaster room at the heart of the Star Destroyer, Hux remarked: “is that colour black dark enough for you?”

“Any shade of black that makes you look paler in comparison is just fine with me.”

“And this is why you are a loose cannon, Kylo Ren. No discipline, no regard for authority.”

“And with authority you mean _you_? I’d rather-”

“NO.” A deep voice bellowed from the holographic display in the middle of the large room.

Kylo Ren and General Hux both shut up immediately.

“ _ **I**_ am the authority here,” the hologram of Supreme Leader Snoke yelled angrily, and gripped the armrest of his seat tight until his knuckles turned white. “Please enlighten me on how you could have _both_ let the girl escape _and_ blow up Starkiller Base together with hundreds of highly-trained stormtroopers and personnel!?”

General Hux and Ren both fell silent for a moment, then slowly pointed towards each other in blame.

SL Snoke slammed his fist down onto his arm rest and started berating his two underlings, sparing none of their feelings and dignity in the process. The two men faced their deserved abuse in silence, only nodding in turns, while a feeling of disappointment sunk down in their stomachs. When SL Snoke was done, he receded back in his chair.

“This rage is using my valuable energy…” He suddenly looked even more dead than before. “Go now... I need to think about the right course of action. Go!”

Ren and Hux turned around so quickly they scuffed each other in the process, which caused Ren to glare at the General and hiss under his breath: “this is all your fault!”

General Hux decided to let this one go as he didn’t want to lose face against SL Snoke, but inside him a fiery rage burned. How he hated Ren, who has only several years younger than him but still acted on his emotions like they were orders from SL Snoke himself. He hated that smug, handsome face usually hidden behind a stern black mask, and he wanted to punch it and then caress it every time Kylo Ren opened that kissable mouth of his. Or better, a giant cock shoved inside it so he would for once shut the hell up.

Ren didn’t even hear the rest of Ren’s moaning and complaining as he went straight around the corner to his personal quarters, leaving the source of his desperation to fend for himself. After all, he did lose at least 1,000 men, and the entire Starkiller Base, and possibly the respect of SL Snoke, and where was Captain Phasma in all this?

Suddenly, he smelled something awful, like garbage.

 


	3. Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chewbacca returns home and must face the terrible result of him failing Han's life debt, as well as face his own son who is a disappointment of his own.

BB-8 almost had to intervene as the Millennium Falcon entered the atmosphere of Kashyk at too high a speed too land. With a jolt, Chewbacca lowered the vessel’s pulse and managed to pull away in time before hitting the large watch tower creeping up ahead of them. It was near nightfall, and small lights appeared beneath the canopy of the wroshyr trees. The residents of the Kaapauku outpost started to ignite their lamps, probably wondering where that freight sound came from.

BB-8 beeped loudly as a sign he found a landing place on a clearing amidst the forest. Chewie recognized the barracks surrounding it as the place he learned to fix up old medium-range cargo ships and the occasional fighter. The same rusty red roof and large scrapyard where Chewie always managed to find the perfect piece - something that came in handy when working on the Millennium Falcon.

Han once jokingly told him he was going to be a new person in seven years, as the human body took that long to replace every single cell with a new one. In that philosophy, the Millennium Falcon was an entire new ship too - although it would never feel the same without its captain.

Chewbacca slowed down and rotated the ship so the cockpit faced the entrance of the town, where curious Wookies had gather to see the impressive freighter land. Only some of them knew what they beheld, one of which was old man Roelliak in the watchtower, managing the few incoming cargo ships a week. What a hell of a surprise to see the Millennium Falcon!

After a jittery, yet successful landing, Chewbacca remained in his seat for a moment. Normally, he would return only once a year to his home world, on Life day, to celebrate with his wife and son he’d left behind to adventure with his best friend Han. Of course Han had urged him to return home more often, but Chewie always refused. He liked the adventures the human dragged him into.

He knew his wife Malla was among the curious Wookies down there. With leaden feet he dragged himself to the boarding ramp, and greeted the familiar faces in the crowd that gathered around him and sung his favorite warrior songs. And amidst of them was Malla, gorgeous like a flower in a desert of fur. Upon seeing her gorgeous face, not a single strand of fur out of place, Chewie noticed she looked deeply sad.

“Raarrw…” _[He’s gone, isn’t he?]_

Chewbacca could only nod, and embraced his wife with a defeated stance. Soon, the celebratory voices around him died out as became apparent that his partner would not descend from the escape hatch. Instead, the wookie residents saw the round BB-8 slowly rolling down, as if knowing he was out of place on the tropical world of Kashyk.

“Rrrr…” _[Let’s go inside… I was not prepared for your visit, Lumpy is - well.. he’s home...]_

Chewie was forcefully awakened from his mourning as he entered his hut, seventh floor on the fifth tree down the road from the scrapyard. BB-8 rolled around his ankles like a needy house cat, curious to see the home of his furry friend.

The hut was fairly small, as most Wookies spend their time outside and only came inside to cook or sleep. Near the window was a small electrical stove with a kettle and cooling compartment. Next, a door leading to the balcony with comfortable recliners and a dinner table. In the corner of the hut, the Wookie family slept together in a nest screened by a mosquito net and lighted by a warm LED lantern.

In the middle of the nest, at the most unruly hour of the day by Wookie standards, lay a smaller but fatter version of Chewbacca with similar dark streaks in his facial fur.

BB-8 beeped excitedly, knowing this must be Chewbacca’s son! Chewie, however, was not as pleased to see his son. With heartbreak in his voice, knowing he mirrored the awful scene he was forced to witness at the bridge on Starkiller Base, he yelled out his son’s name.

“LUMPAWARRUMP!”

The hairy figure in the nest moved up, first with an uninterested sigh then with an exclaim of shock as he jumped up from his comfortable resting spot.

“Raarwgg!” [ _Dad!_ ] He scampered towards him, and crumbs of some deep-fried yam fell from his chest fur.

“Rrrrowarg!!!” [ _Thou useless ball of hair! How dare thee roll in this filth and calleth thyrself mine son!_ ]

Lumpawarrump, who went by the name of Lumpy on image boards, visibly shuddered. “Rrorggr… [ _Ugh Dad, nobody talks like that anymore on Kashyk_.]

“Raargh!” [ _Thou baffleth mine family and the Wookie race entire!_ ]

BB-8 had a hard time understanding either of them, as the two creatures continued to shout at each other in Kaapauku dialect and modern ShyriiWook, expressing various gradients of disappointment at each others failure in meeting their expectations of a good dad and son.

Malla quickly rushed to intervene. “Rorrwarg!” [ _Never argue on an empty stomach!_ ] she tried jokingly, but for the rest of the night Chewie would barely touch his bantha surprise as he continued to glare spitefully at his son. Lumpy had indeed not done much to meet his father’s expectations, as he failed to secure a mate, a job and a socially acceptable bathing routine. On top of that, he smoked and gambled away most of Chewie’s savings from his and Han’s bountiful bounty-hunting booty. There was little to show for him being the son of the legendary war hero Chewbacca.

Not long after Malla cleaned up Chewie’s plate, she heard a knock on the door. It was no other than Chewie’s father Attichitcuk, leader of the Kaapauku clan. The graying wookie was accompanied by several village elders.

“Rgh.” [ _I have heard of your return, son, and while this news fills me with joy I am concerned about the circumstances under which you have returned. Tell me, is it true what the other speak of? Is Han Solo dead?]_

Chewie did not answer but let out a long and painful cry instead. The elders entered the home and touched their most famed warrior with their paws, a sign of respect and condolences.

Once Attichitcuk broke free, Chewie began to tell about their most recent adventures, about how the Millennium Falcon had come back to him and Han harboring three passengers of utmost importance in the Resistance’s battle against the First Order. He told them about how excited he was to return to the Resistance’s side, something he seemed to have missed more than Han who was just glad he’d gotten away from a broken home and a broken heart.

Attichitcuk and the elder Wookies listened in silence to Chewbacca’s report.

When the tale came upon Han’s confrontation with his son Ben, who Chewie refused to acknowledge as “Kylo Ren,” he became almost too emotional to talk.

“Rorghhh. Worg!” [ _I hadst a clear shot at his headeth, ugly and venomous like a toad, and I couldn't taketh it. Curseth thee, Ben! Thrice cursed upon thy children, if 't be true thee can even lay with a woman!_ ]

The elder Wookies started to mumble among themselves, and Attichitcuk realized the terrible divide his son felt inside him.

“Hrgh.” [ _Say no more, Chewbacca… We understand. You are not the first one to break a life debt in this manner and you will certainly not be the last with this vile, unjust violence by the hand of the First Order continuing through the galaxy._ ]

Chewbacca cried.

[ _I has’t failed him, Father! I was’t unable to save that gent and fulfill mine life debt. And now that that gent is death, I must followeth Wookie rule on the matter... ]_

He shook his long paws in defeat.

 _[...and serveth Han's firstborn!_ ]

Malla shrieked in shock and pulled Lumpy closer, knowing this was the very last thing Han would have wanted. Han, always skeptical about Wookie rule, yet accepting in his friend’s choice to adhere by them. To have Chewie serve Ben, who strayed so far from the right path as to kill his own father? Impossible!

The elders seemed visibly upset, as they also knew this was the only way to continue Chewie’s oath to Han. They were however sympathetic towards Chewie’s suffering, and after a short deliberation, they advised their leader.

“Hroogh, worh rooar! [ _Chief Attichitcuk, we feel Chewie can be exempt from rule seeing the circumstances of the transfer of the life debt._ ]

Chewie shook his head in desperation, and Attichitcuk quickly intervened.

“Gr.” [ _I know emotions are running high so soon after the tragic loss of what we also considered our dearest friend. Let us sleep warm and safe in our nests, to clear our heads for the morning and organize a clan gathering. The subject of this gathering will however not be just the judging of Chewbacca’s debt, but also the celebration of his safe return and heroic deeds in his fight against the First Order.]_

The elder agreed, and after greeting Malla and Lumpy they retreated to their huts. Attichitcuk remained, and said one final word to his son.

“Warg.” _[I’m glad to have you back, pup.]_


	4. Casualties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> General Hux and Captain Phasma go over the number of casualties on Starkiller Base. Ren reveals what truly happened in the thermal oscillator. Ren and Hux yell at each other.

Captain Phasma was very displeased.

After a quick break, during which General hux had not allowed himself to sleep, the trio-in-command seated themselves on the far end of the large meeting table, staring at the asteroid field visible from the window spanning the entire width of the room. A faint smell of garbage still oozed from the Captain’s direction as she refused to change out of her chrome captain gear.

“So.. the numbers, Captain,” General Hux started. For the first time in a long while, the three of them were unmasked, and in Ren’s case, shirtless.

“Captain… You are not wearing your helmet and you are staring.”

The blond, stout face of Phasma didn’t look flustered at all as she took her eyes off Ren’s shirtless torso. “A blast like that usually kills a man. I am surprised Kylo Ren only needs pressure pads for those wounds.”

“I was told to let the wounds breath,” Ren defended himself, although he definitely missed his mask more than his shirt. The scar splitting his face in half itched, but he tried to resist.

“Please Ren. Cover yourself,” General Hux demanded, but Ren did not find it necessary to defend himself twice. “I thought we were going to talk numbers, General?” He did his infamous confused-puppy-head-tilt while finally talking in his calm, deep voice again. Hux felt his stomach jump as if he had missed a step on those badly engineered stairs leading from wing C to the barracks. _Goddamnit_.

“The numbers… I believe the Captain has rounded up all remaining and evacuated troopers, am I correct?” The General’s voice was less stern than usual, seeing how he hadn’t slept in almost 30 hours.

“I did. Thanks to the evacuation system, four-fifth of troops and personnel were able to make it out in time before Starkiller Base’s destruction. Casualty rate currently stands at 1,941 though I expect another 100 to 150 succumbing to their wounds in the next few days. Those are mainly troopers wounded by direct assault, not the explosion of the Starkiller itself.”

“Four-fifths is impressive.”

“It could have been one hundred percent if it weren’t for _you_ , Kylo Ren,” blamed Phasma. “You failed in stopping the Resistance from infiltrating the thermal oscillator. I heard the girl Rey was there too, and defeated you in a battle after which General Hux had to save you.”

Ren didn’t seem phased by Phasma’s accusations at all. “The oscillator would have been fine if you hadn’t lowered the shields.”

“I was under the impression that Starkiller didn’t have such an obvious weak point, General,” Phasma directed her rage at Hux.

“I didn’t account for such stupendous human error in my design, Captain.”

The two continued bickering until Kylo Ren stopped them. “I’m not interested in going over your faults. Right now we need to come up with a plan to present to SL Snoke.”

“ _Our_ faults, Kylo Ren? How about the string of failures that lead to you losing the map to Luke Skywalker by capturing some Jakku girl instead, then loosing said girl who appears to be a rare Force-savant, then miraculously finding her again only to have your ass kicked by her and a _sanitation trooper_?” Captain Phasma sneered.

Ren’s voice dropped deeper. “Han Solo was there, in the oscillator. I killed him.”

The General and the Captain shared a quick gaze amongst each other. “Have you informed SL Snoke?” General Hux tried his best not to give Ren the satisfaction of sounding proud.

“I don’t need to. He already knows.”

General Hux rolled his eyes. “You seem to forget not all of us are in on this whole Force-telepathy thing. This is the first good news from your direction for weeks.”

“The death of Solo will be a huge blow to the morale of the Resistance,” Phasma added, and something resembling a smile broke the stern look on her knightley face.

Kylo Ren just nodded. “He has told me to finish my training now I’m ready. We will strike back harder than ever before.”

Captain Phasma rose from her seat. “Despite this terrible failure and the loss of Starkiller Base, we still have enough troopers and Star Destroyers for a heavy assault against the Resistance. My proposal is to continue training the new battalions as usual, and to lower some of the training finalization standards to replete the lost troopers ASAP. An assault by the New Republic is to be expected soon.”

General Hux nodded. “We should find our disadvantage in numbers resolve soon. Despite us losing Starkiller Base, the New Republic has lost Hosnian entire.”  

Captain Phasma nodded. “Seventy million, General, Congratulations!”

Ren didn’t respond at all and picked and itched at his scar.

After General Hux gave his approval to lower training standard, Captain Phasma got up. “We will meet up with the other captains in 24 hours to discuss the details. General, Kylo, if you excuse me… I have a long, hot shower waiting for me.”

The General waved his hand as to give a well-earned dismissal to his Captain. Kylo Ren and himself remained. The silence between them felt as heavy as the blow dealt to them by the Resistance. The General knew that despite his defeat, there was still a fire burning inside Kylo Ren, determined to avenge the destruction of Starkiller Base, or at least himself.

“So you have redeemed yourself with the Supreme Leader?” the General scoffed. “He still seemed pretty disappointed when-”

Ren completely snapped. From his seemingly calm, apathetic state he lunged forward to the General, nearly grabbing him by the lapels of his extravagant parade coat. He always kept his distance though, forcing himself to never physically attacked the General even though he would love to punch him right in the face right now.

“Listen to me very carefully, General… Han Solo was my father, and I killed him.”

Hux lost his posture for a second in shock. “The Rebel hero Solo? _Your father?_ ”

“Yes, or did you bet against Phasma that it was _Luke’s_ blood responsible for my Force powers? Am I cheating you out of twenty bucks, General?” Ren’s eyes were mad with rage as he slightly bend over to accommodate the three inch height difference between them. “Solo was the final barrier before fully embracing the Dark Side. Do you know how strong SL Snoke will be able to make me now?”

The General nodded reluctantly. Despite Ren’s gigantic failures, he remained the strongest of the Knights of Ren. Stronger even than the General himself.

“Do not bother me with your petty taunting again, General. As you said… We want the same thing, and if you are a smart man, you’ll know not to stand in my way.” Ren turned around and power-walked out, leaving the General speechless at this sudden revelation.

As he gazed over the empty seats in the meeting room which would soon be filled with disgruntled captains, he laughed at himself. “Phasma, you owe me fifty bucks…”


	5. Deliberation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clan leader Attichitcuk calls together a clan meeting on what to do with Chewbacca, who failed his life debt to Han. BB-8 has a special message for the Kaapauku Wookies.

The thick air of Kashyk was oozing with excitement and curiosity. The clarions sounded early that morning, attending all in the neighboring trees to come join the clan meeting. Rumor of Chewie’s return quickly spread through the Kaapauku settlement, and wonder about the subject of the clan meeting. Usually, a meeting calling in all Kaapauku clan members involved big decisions - treaties, choice of allies, judging of severe crimes, and of course life debts. Some less-trusting Wookies dared even say Chewie was a traitor for failing to save Han, but Malla made sure their wives corrected them with a firm paw-pat on the back, nails slightly unsheathed.

The yard in the center of the settlement filled up with lawn chairs as the 134 Kaapauku Wookies gathered round the elders, who were apparently still in deliberations. In the middle of all, seated in the ground to symbolize his grounding to Kashyk, sat Attichitcuk, stern as always, smoking a long pipe with Trader tobacco.

Once he felt satisfied with the faces before him, Attichitcuk rose and bombarded his deep Wookie voice: “RAUGH!” [ _Kaapauku! We a gathered here today to celebrate the return of our own! Chewbacca of Kaapauku had left us to fulfil his life debt to his companion Han Solo, who saved him from being skinned by a slave trader and risked banishment and a death penalty. We are no stranger to their heroic stories and the seriousness of which Chewbacca has rested his life in servitude of Han Solo.]_

Some Wookies cheered, oblivious to the fact why Chewie stood alone besides his father.

“Hr.” _[Of course we are not surprised by this. We Kaapauku are known as most honorable amongst Wookies, and our ties have benefited us personally as well as clan, race and planet. I am proud to say Chewbacca is an exemplary Wooki our pups should strive to be.]_

Some pups on the front row squealed loudly in adoration, which only added to Chewie’s deep feeling of guilt.

“Horr.” _[And I am sad to say that our friend Han Solo did not come back with Chewbacca. He was killed by his own son, who we remember as a dark-haired human child who played with our pups as if they were his own brothers and sisters. A loving, emotional child who felt at home with our race, with our strong and warm families. I am deeply saddened and ashamed that nothing of our ways have rubbed off on this man, Ben Solo, who took his saber and killed Han Solo in direct command of the First Order_.]

A dark atmosphere immediately dropped on the clan, as pups tried to make out why their parents suddenly gripped them just a bit tighter.

“Brgg…” [ _Chewbacca fought bravely against this man, but was too far away to hit him lethally. He had to watch Han Solo fell to the death before his own eyes, while Ben escaped to whatever dark hole the First Order has lured him into._ ]

Malla could hardly hold back her tears as she watched Chewy listen to his fathers kind words about the human Han. She did remember Lumpy playing with Ben, and she also remembered Lumpy complaining about Ben being a total weirdo who wrote poetry and couldn’t shut up about his Jedi training.

“Har.” [ _Those known to Wookie rule will already have realized the heinous truth. Chewbacca was unable to fulfill his life debt to Han, which was to protect him until the end of his natural life. Since he was unable to save Han, his debt will now be transferred to his firstborn son, who is also... his killer._ ]

A cry from the audience as discussion broke loose among the strict and honorable Wookies and the more sympathetic ones, as Chewie stood in the middle wishing he could disappear. BB-8 tilted his android head, spotting signs of emotional distress all over the place. Soon, he would play his part in this clan meeting.

When the rouse rested back down, Chewbacca stepped forward, and spoke the words that had gone through his head this entire sleepless night.

“Bhargghh!” [ _The Elders has't deliberated and hath given to forgive mine life debt. I, however, has't hath decided differently. To further illustrate mine argument, alloweth me present thee with a plea... forthcoming from the Resistance_.

He nudged BB-8, who startled and quickly rolled forward to project a holocast of General Leia on the sandy floor of the yard. The blue light failed to transmit the defeated look on the General’s face to the Wookies in the back, but her voice showed it loud and clear.

“Dear Kaapauku… It is with deep regret I inform you of Han Solo’s…” she choked for a moment, “passing... He died a brave man, sacrificing his life for the Resistance. He confronted our son Ben in an attempt to get him home. Seeing as I am broadcasting alone.. this attempt has failed.”

Chewie cried out.

  
The General continued: “our son Ben has strayed from us, onto the path of the Dark Side. He is being tricked and use by Snoke, who resides in an unknown part of the galaxy. I know Chewie always took his life debt to Han seriously, and I don’t want to utilize this to my own advantage, but…” she took a deep breath, “please, Attichitcuk, Chewbacca… Help me bring my son home. You are my only hope.”

BB-8 stopped the holocaster and rolled back to Chewie’s trembling ankle.

Again, the Wookies showed mixed reactions to the sudden appeal of the Resistance. They had heard of the First Order, of Snoke and Kylo Ren, but the reports were scarce and some exaggerated. The shock that this rumored dark side knight was in fact Han’s little boy made many Wookies stand up in protest against General Leia’s cry for help. They’d already fought their own wars, why get involved with this one too?

Chewbacca felt Malla’s paw squeeze into his. “Gr…” [ _You are doing the right thing. You’re doing what Han would have wanted you to do. I believe in you, dear!_ ]

The tall Wookie sighed. He agreed with Malla that this is what Han would have wanted - but what did Chewbacca want himself?

Attichitcuk let the clansmen rage on for a minute or two, then called silence again.

“Hghr.” [ _After deliberation with the elders, we have decided it is our duty as Wookie and Kaapauku to help any enemy of our own enemy… We will assist General Leia and the Resistance in the battle against the First Order, and send Chewbacca along with a first mate to help the Resistance on an important infiltration mission. Now, Kaapauku, call forward my other six strongest warriors!_ ]

“Hghg!” [ _That won't be necessary, Father..._ ] said Chewbacca, who saw the six buff Wookies fall back into their seats in surprise.

“Bghr?” [ _You can't go alone. The Resistance needs a tribute to our alliance._ ]

Chewbacca nodded, shaking his doubt away before stating with certainty: “BHROGH!” [ _I has't hath decided to taketh mine son Lumpy, as a last attempt to maketh a man of that useless furball!_ ]

Even more outrage, as Lumpy was not a stranger among Wookies for being lazy, unreliable and smelling of longleaf at the most inappropriate times. The elders all shook their head as they didn't even need to deliberate on this outrageous idea. However, Attichitcuk's expression showed a deep understanding of Chewbacca's decision, and he patted him on the shoulder.

“Hr.” [ _Chewbacca, you have turned out to be a fine Wookie, despite all the obvious illegal and very dangerous shit the human Han got you into. I know we can be honest among each other and say Lumpy hasn't really lived up to his example yet. Maybe some adventure will be good for him._ ]

Chewy wiped a tear away.

Attichitcuk nodded. “Gor.” [ _You deserve to be as proud of your son as I am of mine._ ]


	6. Deadlock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The General and the Knight can't hold back any longer: they have to beat each other to pulp right here and right now.

On the other side of the Galaxy, Kylo Ren had followed General Hux back into his office after the meeting with Captain Phasma and the other captains ended in a heated debate. Ren called the General a technophilic, impractical jerk, General Hux had retaliated with summing up all of Kylo Ren’s failures, and Captain Phasma had tried to correct them only to be met with a sneer from both commanders.

“I cannot believe you made me lose my patience in front of the captains, Kylo Ren, and I also cannot believe you are _still shirtless_ ,” General Hux started while plopping down on his leather chair, teeth and fists clenched and a thick vein appearing in the side of his head.

“You are such an annoying piece of shit sometimes,” Ren retaliated, not getting why letting his wounds breathe was such a problem to the General, “to this day I don’t understand why we have to work together for SL Snoke. You are a stuck-up, know-it-all pompous piece of shit who build on his father’s reputation as a builder of giant death orbs.”

Hux frowned and shot right back at Ren. “I know why SL Snoke chose me here. I had military training and a first-hand account of my father’s plans to build a loyal army, raised for the First Order in birth. You do your Force mumbo-jumbo quite well, but only that is not enough to build an Empire.”

“Are you craving some Force mumbo-jumbo, General?” Ren immediately struck out his hand to choke General Hux. His opponent raised his hand in defense.

“We are wasting our time here,” he pushed, while feeling that oh so familiar choking in the general area around the neck.

“What, you admit defeat?” Ren snickered, amused at this sudden display of weakness in Mr. My Dad is a Military Leader.

“L-loosen your fucking grip, Kylo Ren…!”

With more reluctance than having to get up at 5am to do weighted push-ups, Ren removed his Force grip from the General, who after a moment of getting himself back together rose up from his seat and paced towards Ren.

“Remove your helmet.”

“I will do no such thing, General,” said Ren, performing his signature asshole tone while using only the most polite of wording.

“I won’t ask again. I am sick of looking at a piece of plastic. Sometimes I am not sure if I’m talking to you or the grill of a TIE fighter. We are high-ranking officials, not nameless Troopers, and I want to see eye-to-eye with my Knight in Command!”

Hux could practically hear Kylo Ren roll his eyes behind his visors, before he pushed his thumbs on the release system, removed his heavy helmet and clunked it down on Hux’ desk.

“Thank you, Kylo Ren,” the General said, and immediately, Ren knew what was up.

The General never said thank you. 

As if weighted down with all frustrations during their ten long years of colleague-ship, Hux finally took a swing at Ren, hitting him straight across the jaw. Ren didn’t scream or whimper, but immediately reached for his lightsaber out of habit, only to remember it still being in repairs in his own quarters. Instead, Ren harnessed the Force to push Hux across the room. The General was one step ahead of him, sprinted back from his unbalanced position and dealt Ren another blow right in the guts. Ren gasped for air and stumbled away from Hux before finding his footing again.

With a lunge forward Ren tackled the General and pinned him against the ground while unleashing a flurry of punches to the man’s face. Hux failed to dodge the first couple of blows and soon tasted his own blood. Then, he kicked back against Ren who toppled over, crawled aside and Force-pulled the nearest blunt object towards him

“Ren… Very serious now… That’s a collector’s ite- NO, FUCK YOU!” Hux’ prized platinum Death Star figurine was hurled into his General direction and clunked a huge dent in the wall mere inches above his head.

Blinded by rage, Ren tried to find more important possessions of the General, and ended up throwing half of the desk’s contents towards Hux, hitting him every now and then with a satisfying thud.

When Ren ran out of collectibles to take out on the General, he forced himself back on his knees again. “GUARDS!” he yelled and paced towards the General to pick that smug face off the ground and beat it to a pulp on his own desktop.

Hux reached inside his boot holder to pull out his stun gun, but it was quickly Force-slapped out his hand.

“Calm down Kylo Ren!” he yelled and crawled underneath his desk, which was luckily bolted to the ground because Ren looked like he could flip the entire thing effortlessly.

“The guards will not come into this office. Now calm your goddamn tits!”

Ren was blind and deaf for the General’s protests and grabbed him by the boots to pull him away from underneath the desk. His entire office being solid chrome, Hux couldn’t find anything to hold onto and soon Ren was on top of him again, this time choking him with both hands.

 _This is not how I imagined it_ , Hux thought. As life flashed before his eyes, he faced the one thing he refused to come to terms with. The fantasies he’d had in his private hours - Ren on top of him in his own office unleashing whatever beastly flavor-of-the-week Hux could come up with. Only Ren would be considerably less angry and more shirtless, and Hux more guilt ridden and disgusted after the big relief.

As he lay dying under Ren’s strong grip, he accepted it. Ren - Kylo Ren! Unstable, overly emotional son-of-a-bitch, going left when the General planned right, fucking up literally everything and anything and now completely fucking up Hux’ hart. He loved this man with his gorgeous eyes and strong grip, his needless outbursts and fiery anger. He loved his principles, his teaching, his knowing that hate was the strongest fuel for conquering anything, but mostly the self.

He loved this man so much he just _had_ to choke him.

Hux’ trembling, leather-gloved fingers soon found a way around Ren’s slender neck and pushed as hard as he could to return the favor.

Ren yelled some wordless screams and tried to choke back harder. Just as Hux’ vision started to blur again, he was blown back by an overwhelming feeling in his mind.

Ren was trying to enter it. Without other options left in this deadlock, he penetrated Hux’ mind easily for whatever advantage he thought it would give him. Overwhelmed, Hux stared into Ren’s smoldering eyes, and did the only logical thing he could think of at the time.

He reached up and kissed Kylo Ren.


	7. Urgency

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> General Hux isn't the only one who has NO chill.

It was a salty, slightly bloody kiss as both of their grips around the others neck loosened. Neither man responded in terms of logic, only in complete rage as they delved into the kiss. Teeth grasped lips, tongues flicked around each other and Hux’s lower lip was pinched painfully in this passionate frenzy. He felt Ren’s muscles soften as he fell flat on top of Hux’ chest, sharing heartbeat after heartbeat with him. When Ren opened his eyes back up their gazes met in a shocking realization.

Ren bolted up, still tasting Hux in his mouth mixed with a little blood that might have been his own, might have been the General’s. He didn’t want to think about that at all. With a single smooth move he got back up from the floor, and adjusted his robes. In silence, Hux also fixed himself up and walked over to his dented Death Star memorabilia.  

Ren continued to deny what just transpired between him and the most disgusting person on the entire Star Destroyer, save for maybe HR-098 who had this weird body odor disease going on.

General Hux fixed his desk as casually as possible, despite his holocaster emitting a thin jet of white smoke and most of his desk trinkets being in various stages of destruction.

Ren decided he had absolutely nothing to say about the whole situation and was about to pace towards the door, when he felt a hand on his shoulder stopping him. In a reflex, he turned around, ready to punch that cocksucker in the mouth again. Only this time, General Hux didn’t look at him as if Ren was the embodiment of an odd number of stormtroopers patrolling, or an unorganized desk, or an unevenly aligned star window.

“You're a fucked up piece of shit, Ren, and you know why?” Hux said.

Ren did not respond as he made a point to not avoid Hux' eyes at all, but stare them down to disprove any sign of weakness. It made Hux extremely uncomfortable and almost wishing for Ren to put his _goddamn helmet_ back on.

Hux swallowed, struggling for words and unable to look, until he felt a hesitant hand under his chin, forcing him to look up. Ren’s smoldering eyes turned from hateful to encouraging and curious - a slight head tilt to the point of this 180-degree turn away from Hux’ usual attitude towards the Knight Commander.

“Continue,” Ren's demanding tone did not match his surprisingly gentle look, and send a shudder through Hux's spine.

“You're sick of fighting, hating,” Hux said, as the memory of his life’s work being destroyed flashed again before his eyes. Starkiller Base. _Han Solo._ He guided Kylo Ren’s hand from his chin to his chest, his heart skipping a beat the moment Ren's gloved hand rest on his uniform.

“You are mistaken, General. I quite enjoy hating you,” Ren uttered breathlessly, clenching his teeth together and spitting fire with his eyes, ready to strike again at the pale cheek of the General.

“I know,” Hux smiled, and the two men lunged forward to kiss, a hungry, urgent kiss that relieved the tension between them - a tension probably very obvious to everyone on the Star Destroyer but them, and probably cheating a couple dozen troopers out of fifty bucks, too.

Hux felt himself bump against the desk as Ren laid him down like an urgent report, undoing him of his stupid parade coat. As Ren’s kisses ran over Hux’s painful neck, he hissed.

“I’m not a tender man, General,” Ren warned, and bit down hard on the bruises he so proudly made on Hux’ freckled white skin, deeply enjoying the moans of pain it caused.

Hux groaned. “Assuming I will be?” He felt Ren grip his hips tightly, while his chest and dick felt like it could explode at any given moment. He tried to taunt the Knight by flicking his hands away, resulting in his own wrists being grabbed tightly and slammed down on the desk next to his destroyed collection.

“Careful, General…” Ren’s eyes and heart were on fire as he hovered right above Hux’ face, denying him any further relief. “Don’t make me use force to keep you in line.”

“I like a little force,” Hux admitted softly, and guided Ren’s hand to his throat, unbuttoning his ever-buttoned first button of his already overly buttoned shirt. He might as well confess everything, as he expected Ren would soon pry every dirty detail out of his head.

Ren squeezes Hux’ throat tighter, partly to pester him and partly out of curiosity how deep the kink hole went. Ren started to enjoy this little play between them, and so seemed General Hux. He pushed his hips forward, and Ren immediately felt a shiver down his spine as General Hux’ cold polished belt buckle touched his pale bare flesh. Underneath, another thing…

“You’re hard already? I barely touched you,” Ren whispered, tightening his grip more.

Hux huffed and puffed in shameful protest. “I can’t control it.”

“Just like your men.”

“God fucking DAMNIT, Kylo Ren.” Hux broke free from Ren’s grasp and tried to shield himself from Ren, embarrassed at his rock-hard cock resulting from their struggle. He looked like a man who gambled his entire life savings on Old Gambo the Mule, ashamed and broke and flustered to his ears.

Just as the General seemed about to count his losses and retreat to the barracks to find a quick and silent way to kill himself, Ren stopped him. Not by Force-choke, not by any force at all.

“Hux.” he said. “You’re getting the whole fucked-up package. Bruises. Marks. All over.”

The General stopped, didn’t turn around.

“This is what you want.”

“This is what I want,” General Hux smiled, his mind absolutely free of any Force-instilled actions of thoughts, but nevertheless feeling like he had no choice but to give in to his desires.

Ren stepped behind General Hux and placed a surprisingly soft kiss in his bruised neck. “I’ll spare the face, unless you misbehave,” he taunted, baffled that a conversation about total sexual deviancy was the smoothest one he ever had with the General, and even more baffled that every fiber in his body was screaming to fuck the man right here and right now.

Ren walked past Hux, and opened the door he’d apparently Force-locked to leave his General behind on the brink of orgasm. When the door closed again, Hux let out a sigh of relief and disbelief. This incident would give him plenty more material to masturbate to than just the vision of the Starkiller firing for the first time.


	8. Abysmal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lumpy and Chewbacca arrive at the Resistance base on D'Qar, where Lumpy has to prove himself as something better than a wet rag tied to Chewbacca's ankle.

The Millennium Falcon blazed through the Galaxy on hyperdrive, well into its journey back to the Resistance on D’qar, which was spared from a Starkiller fate just days earlier. For Lumpy, it all started way too early that morning. Commotion outside his front door, voices of elders, his Grandpa, and – Dad!

At least ten Wookies had barged through the door to lift Lumpy out of his nest in a whirlwind of hair and growling.

“Gor!” [ _Lumpawarrump! Wake up! Why are you not at the clan meeting?_ ]

The Wookie inside the nest jolted upright, hitting his head against the low ceiling of the hut. “Rrrgugh!” [ _Ow! What is this? Why are you all in our hut?_ ]

“Ngrr!” [ _You would have known if you went to the town meeting!_ ]

“Wllrz!” [ _It’s my day off! I played Galactic Commanders all night… My head hurts…_ ]

Chewbacca leaned towards his wife. “Bur?” [ _Galactic Commanders? What doth this man speak of?_ ] Malla didn’t react, as her husband probably wouldn’t understand what young Wookies did in their spare time nowadays...

Attichitcuk was firm with the Wookie. “Wrl!!!” [ _Seeing as you are the only one without a legitimate reason to go on a mission of vengeance among the star, I order you to become Chewbacca’s first mate as of today!_ ]

As with most of Grandpa's decisions, this one was followed through with only little protest. As Lumpy packed his things to leave his home planet for the first time, his blue eyes glistened with excitement, ready to prove to his entire clan that he was worthy of calling himself Chewie's son.

Lumpy didn’t need to familiarize himself with the Falcon, as he and many other young Wookies were brought up with stories about Han and Chewie’s adventures. Together they’d relive these adventures, first through play and later through building miniatures of key Rebel ships and playing out the legendary battles of the Galactic Civil War. Still, Lumpy had a lot to learn on how to actually fly the thing, as most of the original control panel was either replaced or hacked into something else, to turn the junky old freighter into a beast of speed and unreliability.

“Horg!” [ _So if there is a problem with the fuel injectors, I have to override manually?_ ] Lumpy repeated, and Chewbacca nodded while BB-8 beeped happily in the background.

“Rghhrrr… Warrr!” [ _Thou areth a fast learner, young Lumpy. I am besaddened we faileth to have enough time to truly teach thee all of Falcon’s tips ande tricks. For now, thou shall operate the quad-lasers while the android shall co-pilot._ ]

“Bor!” [ _I won’t disappoint you on that!_ ] Lumpy seemed quite cheerful about the whole trip and mission, which slightly annoyed Chewy. Lumpy was still a youngster among Wookies, and he still had to pop his combat cherry. Chewbacca just hoped his boy would be able to stand his own against troopers, or in a worst case scenario, a Knight of Ren. Proving oneself shouldn't mean Lumpy should go around acting reckless.

D’Qar came in sight mere hours after leaving Kashyk, and Chewbacca let the Falcon slowly crawl out of hyperspace again for Lumpy to admire the planet more. The young Wookie was practically glued to the window, as Chewbacca skillfully steered the freighter away from the asteroid ring adorning the terrestrial planet.

“Base to Millennium Falcon,” the radio suddenly blurted, and Chewbacca confirmed the call. After a sound of struggle, a familiar voice was heard.

“Chewbacca? Thank heavens you’re here…” General Leia sighted, sounding a lot more upbeat than on the holocaster. “Are you alone? Is BB-8 back with you?”

Chewy confirmed. “Hrg!” [ _Confirmed, we has't hath left the droid R2-D2 with Rey instead, seeing as this orb of annoyance couldn't cease bleeping about thy best pilot Poe._ ]

“Poe will be happy to hear that. Did you father plead his alliance, Chewie?”

“Grg!” [ _He has’t done so_.]

“Good, good! How many barracks should I reserve?”

Lumpy frowned. “Borg.” [ _J-just one, Ma’am… General… General Ma’am._ ]

The other end of the radio fell silent, before General Leia’s slightly disappointed voice came back.

“You brought... only one. ” A silence. “It's Lumpy.”

Lumpy tried not to feel hurt by the obvious disappointment in Leia's voice. To his surprise, his Dad actually defended him by slamming his paw on the radio and growling: “Blorg!” [ _Yes, it's my son! He has’t had scored 10,000 points on Galactic Commanders!_ ]

_“10,000 points on what now?”_

“Grh!” [ _The meaning escapes me also but according to mine son it's a big deal. Thou trust mine son, Leia, don't thee? Thou trust the son of thy husband's best cousin, or not?_ ]

“Yes, I do… Well, you’re clear for landing, Chewy. Same spot as last time.” General Leia disconnected and Lumpy stared awkwardly at his big hero seated in the pilot spot besides him. Chewbacca only laughed. “Bgrrr!” [ _Thou shalt be well, kid. If 't be true the lady bothers thee again I wilt remind her of how much better thee art doing than her own son.._.]

  
~

 

The Resistance base had quickly picked up its daily routine after the devastating blow of both the destruction of Hosnian Prime, seat of the Galactic Senate, and the death of some of the Resistance pilots. General Leia insisted only a small ceremony be held for Han Solo, and only once Chewbacca would return from his home planet - if he would return at all.

Lumpy was greeted by basically everyone - pilots, looking up from their repairs on the T-70 X-wing fighters, personnel interrupting their usual conversation to glare over to the two Wookies making their way to the command center. Doors opened, eyes darted upward, voices faded out. When Chewie and Lumpy entered the command center, all eyes were focused on them.

“Gentlemen, gentlewomen,” General Leia spoke, and raised her hand towards to two Wookies. “The Kaapauku of Kashyk join the Resistance as 124th alliance!”

Applause broke out in the control room, with various commanders, planners, lieutenants and captains breaking smiles on their faces. In the aftermath of the horrendous First Order attack, support for the Resistance had ten-folded. Very few members of the New Republic had not lost a valuable leader or diplomat in the destruction of Hosnian Prime, and those who didn’t quickly emptied their bank accounts as to not seem like a supporter of the First Order.

“You catch me in the middle of our infiltration plans, Chewbacca and…?” General Leia lowered her hand to shake paws with the second Wookie, who was still waiting for the moment he would wake up out of this obviously longleaf-induced dream.

“Gorgh.” [ _Lumpawarrump, son of Chewbacca. Call me Lumpy._ ]

General Leia happily shook hands with the exceptionally chubby Wookie, and seemed less underwhelmed now she saw Attichitcuk’s tribute in person.

“Now, for the rest of our infiltration plan - Poe?”

Forward stepped a handsome young pilot, disheveled hair and a scar on his cheek. Besides him stood a black man who looked very tired, his arm in a brace but his face oozing a determination to be part of this.

“The only downside to destroying the First Order base is that we have no idea where they are at right now. We believe most of the troopers were evacuated, perhaps a lesson learned from the destruction of both Death Stars over thirty years ago.”

Lumpy looked at the hologram of the Starkiller Base - it all felt so much more real than reading it from his screen.

Poe continued. “Finn, our valuable degenerate,” he laughed and poked his buddy in the ribs, resulting in a painful smile from Finn, “informed us that the First Order’s leader, SL Snoke, does not employ a permanent base but rather shifts around the Unknown Regions on a Star Destroyer called ‘Abysmal’.”

Finn nodded. “When I left the First Order, Abysmal was still under construction. Starkiller Base was never designed as a permanent base, rather as a weapon to utilize for an estimated five or six times. SL Snoke desired a second base of operations, again learning from the mistakes of the Empire who stuffed all of their troopers on one Death Star.”

“How big is Abysmal?” General Leia asked, already grinning a bit.

“Well, _technically_ it’s not bigger than the Finalizer, the Star Destroyer employed by General Hux,” Finn spoke, and a surprised noise rose up from the group of commanders present, who expected the First Order to be as predictable as the old Empire, especially after they just build a bigger death orb. “The device is made up of three separate vessels, Abysmal I, II and III, which can interlock into a _beast_ of a Star Destroyer - over 5,000 meters in length and with double the firepower of an Insurgent-class Star Destroyer.”

General Leia’s smug disappeared.

“Can you imagine how many bathrooms you’d have to clean on that if you stayed?” joked Poe, and wrapped his arm around his ex-Trooper friend. Finn seemed quite distracted though, and stared outside the star window.

“It’s quite ingenious,” said old Major Caluan Ematt, stroking his snow-white beard. “Three separate parts with three separate cores. If one is damaged, the other two break free to minimize damage. Rebuilding one smaller part will be quick and easy. On top of that, it will be very hard to pinpoint which one of the three is home to SL Snoke.”

“Hurhg!” Lumpy blurted out, and silence fell. Hesitantly, Lumpy spoke his mind on the matter, feeling Chewbacca nudge him encouragingly. [ _The second one. SL Snoke is most likely seated in the second one, Abysmal II_.]


	9. Insubordination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> General Hux lays down his plans to Kylo Ren, but they are both too consumed with how much they want to screw each others brains out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there are already seven Knights of Ren, including Kylo, but for dramatic purposes I'm counting only six.

“Ah, the Abysmal,” praised General Hux as he invited himself into Kylo Ren’s quarters, where the tall man was being fitted into new robes before a background of asteroids and three gigantic black Star Destroyers in the distance. “We’re approaching soon. Won’t you be happy to see your dearest master in person instead of through the holocaster?”

Kylo Ren’s kept his tired arm up while his tailor worked around the sleeves. “I am indifferent to his physical form. He is with me always, guiding me, teaching me.”

“Helicopter parenting, the most rewarding form of raising kids,” sighed Hux reminiscently, and seated himself on the chair next to Kylo Ren’s Darth Vader ashtray - quite literally, as it was a tray filled with actual ash of actual Darth Vader. On top of it, the half-molten mask after which Ren had modeled his own, only smaller and with less of a page-cut shape in the back. This counted as the least best kept secret on the Finalizer, and now Hux saw it with his own eyes, he was mentally ringing in the cash from numerous bets he’d placed on the subject.

“Spill the beans, Hux. Why have you come to torment me?” lamented Kylo Ren as the tailor removed the top part of his robes, again leaving him shirtless as if it was a cruel joke from some unseen force above.

“I met with Phasma again, and we have formed a plan for SL Snoke. Seeing as you yelled something like ‘I am the Commander of the Knights of Ren, I’m not going to join your stupid plan’ at the meeting yesterday, then getting angry with me pointing out your fantastic rhyming qualities, I was wondering if you could enlighten me _now_ with your ingenious idea on how to strike back at the Resistance?”

Kylo Ren’s face was like an open book, possibly due to being used to wear a mask all the time. His expression went from angry, to pondering, to certain.

“Let me take the Knights of Ren, infiltrate the Resistance base, and wipe out all - OW! That was on purpose!” He angrily turned around to his tailor, who flicked their hair-tentacle-things and muttered something before continuing to pin the back of Ren’s new robes.

“This imp keeps pinching me in the butt,” growled Ren, and General Hux laughed.

“You do have the most pinch-able of butts, Ren, if you wouldn’t hide it underneath that ridiculous dress of yours.”

Ren huffed and puffed. “Am I supposed to wear a parade uniform too?”

“It would look very becoming on you, Kylo Ren.”

Failing to respond with his usual sarcastic remarks, Ren was completely taken aback. This sudden approach was so completely out of character that Ren almost started looking for hidden cameras, had that not been even more out of character for the General. “...what is it you need?” Ren’s smoldering eyes pinched together. “Why are you so nice?”

“Dismiss your tailor,” General Hux said, and stood up to walk towards Kylo Ren, “and I’ll tell you.”

Ren's tailor made a purring noise that Kylo Ren interpreted as teasing, and stepped down from the chair he was balancing on. They quickly pulled a thread on Ren’s work-in-progress robes, making the whole thing fall apart and leaving Ren naked save for his tight black boxers and slippers.

Kylo Ren was absolutely gorgeous, despite the gaping wound in his side and the still-healing gash on his face. General Hux sighed, and removed his parade coat to drape them over Ren’s surprisingly broad shoulders. The Knight towered a full two inch above him, and their eyes locked as soon as the tailor closed the doors behind them.

“I have something important and private to speak to you about,” the General said, and Ren actively avoided his gorgeous eyes, surprisingly anxious about what was coming next. Hopefully, himself, balls-deep in the General, but Hux had another matter on his mind.

“We will be meeting up with SL Snoke as soon as we board the Abysmal in a few hours. I am presenting our new plan, of which you will hopefully be a part. I have, however, been thinking about many things since the loss of Starkiller Base.”

 _Please let it be big fat cocks_ , thought Ren involuntarily, and shook this intrusive thought away.

“SL Snoke seemed unmoved by the destruction of our super weapon, and has since ordered me to continue work on the Abysmal. I am unsure if he has his priorities straight, as he places a seemingly exorbitant importance on recapturing the girl, like you, Kylo Ren.”

“The girl is of utmost importance,” said Ren, suddenly all back to business. “Phasma said so herself - the girl is a Force-savant. An incredibly strong user from a Force-sensitive bloodline, like mine. She could be a valuable asset to the First Order.”

“Have you not considered your fate in SL Snoke’s plan?” Hux said, and almost looked a bit worried, or it could have been the decorative lights shining from the Darth Vader ashtray casting worrisome shadows on his face.

“...I am to be teaching her, of course. She will be our long-awaited seventh Knight of Ren.”

“SL Snoke is an experienced Dark Side user. He has surrounded himself with Force-sensitives, but none quite as strong as you, and until shortly, none quite as strong as the girl either.”

“What are you insinuating?” Enraged by the idea that Rey could be stronger than him, Ren was ready to lash out to General Hux again, but remembered his father saying the same words.

_He’s using you._

“If I am correct, he will soon choose between the two of you, as there can only be two dark side users at any given time,” Hux displayed his knowledge of Darth Bane, inventor of the rule of two stating that at any given time, there should be no more than two Siths - a master and an apprentice.

“Sadly for you, I am no Sith. I am a Knight of Ren, and the _Kylo_ of Ren too,” the Knight parried, “I don’t believe SL Snoke abides by the rule of two, as he is no Sith either. Face it, what has the rule of two brought us except the extinction of the Sith ways? How can the Sith cause benefit from only two users at once? It's foolish. The Dark Side is a powerful tool, Hux.” His eyes were wide-open, nearly maniacal. “I follow SL Snoke in his belief there is no good or evil, only power. Look at the Knights themselves. There’s six of us, and we are all capable in using the Dark Side of the Force.”

“Don’t you see what is happening here? What SL Snoke is truly planning?” Hux stepped closer, dropping his voice to a whisper as if SL Snoke himself was listening through the keyhole, if he could even get down on his knees any more, not to mention get back up on his own.

“SL Snoke has done an excellent job at guiding us to victory in the Unnamed Regions. But I cannot help noticing the Dark Side is taking a toll on his physique. SL Snoke is gathering Force users around because he is weak, Ren. He _needs_ us. He is _dependent_ on us, not the other way around. I have seen it countless times in the higher ranks where my father also resides. Weak old men trying to live through their successors.” Huz snorted. “SL Snoke is no different and to him it will not matter who he trains, as long as it is the strongest.”

Baffled by General Hux’ sudden insubordination, Ren took a few steps back, only to have General Hux fill them right back in. Hux eyes flashed with a sudden passion, one Ren had only seen before during one of Hux’ iconic speeches before the troops. A power-mad glistening in those bright green eyes that could inspire thousands.

“We have the strength to lead ourselves, Ren. We’re already doing it.”

“Are you suggesting… a revolt against SL Snoke?”

“Not quite that simple, Kylo Ren. He is wise and experienced after all, and you need him to complete your training. Once you are at full strength… we will have no need of the Supreme Leader any longer.”

Ren made a face as if he’d been served re-heated bantha surprise. “We?” He noticed Hux suddenly stood very close to him.

“You accuse me of being stuck on the traditional ideas of the Sith and the Dark Side, but overhearing your conversations with Snoke about your father, Han Solo…

  
Ren flinched unexpectedly.

Hux continued, darting his eyes over the open book of Ren's face, laid before him. “Despite your efforts to take a different approach to the Force than the Empire, I noticed the two of you failed to recognize the most powerful force in the Galaxy. Something stronger than hate,” Hux started off, the same inspiring flash lighting up his eyes.

“Stronger than fear. Stronger than death.” He leaned in closer, nearly burying his nose in the curls licking Ren’s ears.

“You and I, Kylo Ren. We can conquer the galaxy together and son nor daughter would exist to come destroy us,” said Hux, eyes mad with ambition.

Ren was silent for a while, then uttered: “... you want to buttsex our way to victory?”

Hux had never punched Ren as hard as now. A full fist in the face, a knuckle cracking against that perfect cheekbone. The dark-haired man stumbled over and covered his painful face in anger - another bruise he’d need to get fixed in the MediPod.

“YES, I want to BUTTSEX out way to victory!” Hux growled, not even concerned any more with who would hear. “Must you reply with that attitude to _everything!_?”

Ren frowned as only he could. “Not everything, obviously.”

“So I take that as a ‘no thanks’ to the buttsex part?”

“If the buttsex is absolutely _necessary…_ ”

“YOU KNOW WHAT I GODDAMN MEAN.” Hux angrily paced through Ren’s room, nearly foaming at the mouth how his near-perfect speech failed to inspire Kylo Ren to rise up against SL Snoke. And he was hurt, to see that this was the second speech in a row that failed to deliver the message in his heart that Hux himself had yet to fully come to terms with.

“Are you serious about this?” Ren finally said.

“The only time I’ve been more serious is when I threatened to kill you back when we were stuck on Glyse-114 with no working radio.”

“I guess that’s very serious then.”

“Yes, _very_ serious.” Hux stepped forward and mustered a tremendous amount of courage to caress the bruise on Ren’s face, which already started swelling.

Ren flinched again, but not because of the pain. He loved the pain. It was the gesture that finally got through to his thick head and even thicker heart. The Knight had spend so much time hating the General that he forgot to notice he was as handsome, disciplined and fucked up as Ren himself. Ren also couldn’t deny he’d stayed up for two nights in a row, pleasuring himself on the thought of choking every atom of life out of General Hux. Of course, all that was pure perverted lust, or so Ren had thought.

Now, he was close enough to see the star-shaped stitches in Hux’ perfectly green retinas. How could he have overseen this every time he lowered his head intimidatingly every time the General crossed his path?

“Didn’t know you used to wear glasses.”

The General averted his eyes. “Yes, and then I had a correction. Is there a problem?”

“Nobody is born perfect.”

“Is that an insult?”

“You bet.”

The General ran a gloved finger over Ren’s lower lip. “Shame you use this mouth mostly to speak ill of your General.”

Head tilt. “It is my mouth’s destiny, General.”

“I’d say your mouth is insufficiently cock-filled right now, Ren…”

“Oh no, I wouldn’t dare…” Ren’s dark brown eyes flashed. 

Hux rolled his eyes impatiently. “So you want to fuck or hold hands first?”


	10. Restraint

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's bottom!Hux and Ren makes sure he knows it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feb. 1: I finally beta's it, sorry for the delay!

They threw themselves into each other like a thirsty man into an oasis, drinking and drinking and drinking until passing out. Neither of them thought to lock the door as Ren tore into the General’s clothing, leaving no button attached, and slammed him down onto the Spartan single-person bed in the corner of the room. Hux felt Ren’s strong hands on his throat, but no pressure yet. _Tease_.

Ren is more concerned with exploring every single freckle on Hux’ body as he peels layer off of layer, slightly surprised to not find a tattoo of the First Order emblem on any body part of Hux.

“Don't tell me you bet on those tattoo rumors too,” Hux sighs, as he does notice Ren looking for something on his skin. Not a blemish, not a scar. A witness of the General’s life above combat, never in it. 

“I’m admiring how perfect you are,” said Ren, releasing his breath, “before I taint you.”

He bit down on Hux's pale skin, paler than the white sheets underneath them. Hux yelped and struggled, but the twitch of his cock against Ren's stomach showed how much he craved the pain. It turned Ren on immensely, and he almost felt reluctant to lower his lips down over Hux's body and lose track of those green, begging eyes.

Hux was struggling to grasp the situation here, as Ren's long fingers unbuckled and unzipped him without a moment of hesitation. As Ren lowered himself on Hux' soft lower belly, he felt the tip of Hux’ cock jump against his cheek. Tauntingly, he blew his hot breath on it, before taking him into his mouth entirely, without warning, without teasing.

Hux completely lost it. He moaned loudly, raking his fingers through Ren’s thick hair as the man bobbed up and down like an experienced lover. In reality, Ren had spent considerably more time removing “how to give a bj” from his search history than researching it. He figured he would just wing it, like everything else. Despite this, Hux seemed to like every second of it, and Ren just couldn’t believe he was completely content with pleasuring the General while he’s spent the majority of their ten years working together accomplishing the exact opposite.

Of course the General was not supposed to have this much fun. After what felt like the two most amazing minutes of Hux’ life, Ren slowly let Hux' cock go out of his dripping mouth. He made sure Hux got the full view of his cum-stained lips before Ren turned him belly-down, firmly grabbing and raising his hips. Hux felt the rest of his breeches slip off before Ren got to the remainders of his shirt, tearing them of provocatively. 

Then, Ren bend down over the General and made him feel his own excitement by rubbing it between his butt cheeks. “Feel that, General? That’s the cock that’s going to fuck you every day from now on. Whenever I feel like it, wherever there is room. First, I want you to be ready for me. Are you, General?”

Hux was blushing and panting, pushing himself upwards against the main that hit every right spot in his kink organ. When Ren lubed himself up like he planned every second of this, which also turned the General on even more, Hux finally got himself together enough for an incoherent answer.

“I want it. I want all of you,” he begged.

Ren pushed inside him with all his might, surprised at how much easier that went than the online guides had lead him to believe. Hux moaned and bit down on the sheets, slowly relaxing for Ren and then taking his cock like a champ.

The Knight grinned. “It’s the first time for only one of us.”

“Look at me,” Hux panted, turning his head back to Ren, “have I ever, for one second, looked straight to you?”

“Forgive me General, for being surprised at how much of a total bottom you are.”

Angrily: “Look at me again, I am a General in Command. I am stressed 24/7, I have a lot of responsibilities, I need to be pounded into oblivion in my free time to function, understood?"

Ren grabbed Hux by the hair and pushed him further down into the pillow. “I’ll decide what you need, and what you get,” he threatened, only to be met with more content sounds of the General. Ren decided Hux was too loud, so he grabbed his throat by the Force and squeezed softly. During his interrogations he'd learned just how far to go to bring someone to the brink of fainting over and over again, but never pushing too far. 

Ren’s strong hand wrapped itself around the Generals’ cock, performing the only move he didn’t need to look up online. Hux cried for more as he eagerly pushed his hips back. Ren continued to thrust into Hux with a concentration that almost stopped him from feeling pleasure himself, sucked up into the role of Hux’ aggressor.

After minutes of tormenting Hux with short, sharp strokes, Ren wrapped his arms around the quivering chest of his General, and breathed out while returning to a more rhythmical, almost sensual tempo. He was getting really close, his heart pounding in his chest and resisting the urge to bite down harder into Hux’ flesh.

Hearing Ren’s soft moans escape against his neck, the General came almost immediately, writhing underneath the taller man’s body. If the pillow had not muffled his scream, he was sure it would have woken up the entire C-barracks near Ren’s personal quarters.

This greatly displeased Ren.

He pulled out and gripped the General’s wrist, bending them painfully against his back.

“You do not cum without my permission,” he hissed, and jerked the man upright and cradled him in his lap, mindful to push at every bruise he’d caused. “I’m not going to slacken the reins on the first time. Here…” He painfully pushed the General back down on his cock, while keeping him upright in his lap. “Ride your Knight until he cums.”

The General blushed and tried to struggle free from Ren’s grip, as he slowly moved his hips up and down. He’d show him experience. As he tried to take at least one arm back from behind his back, Ren refused to let him go. Hux bit angrily at the man’s hip, hissing: “let go or I’m going to topple over and break your cock.”

Losing his role for a moment, Ren released the General and moved his hands back up towards Hux’ throat, to make him feel the physical restraint skin-on-skin. He leaned back against the headboard and watched his General work it, admiring the bruises he'd made on the man's chest and neck - but never above the line they’d silently agreed upon to keep their vices hidden. Hux rested his elbows against the headboard, hungry for Ren's kiss who only sparingly indulged in a few while greatly enjoying Hux' angry determination to give him the orgasm of his life. 

As Ren reached said orgasm, he gently pushed the General away again, his hands firmly around the wrist as he desired to see himself cum inside Hux. The General was a complete mess, panting slightly as Ren trusted faster, until he pushed harder and deeper than before. “F-fuck you Hux…” Ren groaned as he came, and the General couldn’t suppress a sneer: “you’re already doing it.” He felt Ren’s hand squeeze in his, then the sweet release inside him. For only a moment, the two remained, Ren inside Hux and Hux in total disbelief.

They parted and laid belly-up on the messed-up sheets to catch their breath. Ren wiped himself on a sheet and began the long mental process of dragging his fucked-up legs to the shower, preferably with Hux, because he was not done with him yet.

Hux tried to decide if this was a good moment to cuddle, if cuddling was a thing they were going to be doing, if there was anything more to this.

They looked over at each other, in a deadlock of uncertainty on how to proceed. Even though Ren's face was usually an open book to his feelings, Hux was not a mind-reader like the Knight himself. He didn’t want to fuck things up between them and ending this beautiful sin by saying or doing the wrong thing now.

Strange, Hux thought. He was always so certain about everything, how could he ever have been so uncertain about this? Ren was absolutely gorgeous, eyes closed and those long tense limbs of his finally in a state of relaxation. Hux shook his head, as his thoughts drifted back to the conversation leading up to pounding each others brains out. For some Hux absolutely needed to know post-coital if Ren was on his side here.

“What next?” Hux said, getting up and desperately wanting a cigarette. 

"Give him a moment, he's been unused for quite a while," moaned Ren, not bothering to cover "him" with a blanket.

"I wasn't talking about- well, I mean we could, - tonight -" Hux stumbled over his words.

Ren laughed. The first time in Hux presence.

"If you struggle with words now, wait until I am done with _your_ mouth," he grinned, pulling Hux to him and engaging him in another long kiss. Hux almost couldn't bear to look in Ren's eyes. "I meant the Snoke thing."

"The Snoke thing."

"Yes."

"I thought the other thing," Ren said, suddenly losing his take-what-I-want attitude Hux so loved about him. 

The General noticed Ren was playing with his hair. "The sex thing?"   
"The sex thing," Ren confirmed. "I enjoy it."

Hux's heart felt about to explode in his chest. “I don’t want it to be just sex. I want it all. I want all of you to be mine.”

Hux’s determination and desperation made Ren’s face flash up, and for the first time in months he felt something other than shame, anger or disgust towards Hux, and most importantly, towards himself. Maybe he even felt a tiny, rotten butterfly in the pit of his stomach.

"We're doing this."

Hux grinned. "The sex thing or the Snoke thing?"

"Both."


	11. Red Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Resistance forms a plan for the long-term battle with the First Order.

Back on D’Qar, the commanders present in the control room all reacted surprised at the Wookie’s determination that SL Snoke must be seated on Abysmal II, the second vessel of the allegedly gigantic Abysmal Star Destroyer.

“What makes you think that without seeing the design, young Wookie?” said General Leia, not quite sure how much weight to put on Lumpy’s words. 

“Gorgh.” [ _If they follow the usual efficient mega build protocols, Abysmal I is build from the metaphorical ground up while the workers are housed on a nearby mining planet for easy access to resources and existing housing facilities. SL Snoke would not live on a single Abysmal vessel - if they are found, there is no way to escape. He also would not wait on Abysmal III to be finished, which I can almost say with certainty it isn’t yet, as Starkiller Base has obviously been on high priority. So, with Abysal I being ready as a back-up vessel, SL Snoke will have his personal quarters on Abysmal II._ ]

Impressed, General Leia glanced over at Major Caluan, who nodded. “That is certainly most likely. But do we know for sure SL Snoke is on a mobile vessel?”

Finn confirmed: “I have heard General Hux and Kylo Ren speak of his nomadic tendencies. I don’t think he will be hiding on some planet somewhere.”

“Very well. Still, seeing as there will be three vessels to deal with instead of one, I propose three infiltration teams carrying out the same mission,” said Major Caluan, and General Leia nodded in agreement. “We don't want Snoke to slither away in one of the other ones and remain untraceable.” 

“Ghogh.” [ _What might be the goal of thy infiltration mission?_ ] asked Chewbacca, slightly confused as Leia's holocast didn't speak of this mission at all. He met Leia's dark brown eyes, and she gave him a nod that went unnoticed to everyone else. Chewbacca suddenly felt he should not speak of his confusion right now.

“We are aiming for a long-term battle with the First Order,” said General Leia and paced around the holocaster. “They are smart, small in numbers compared to the Empire but twice as technologically advanced. They operate on a moveable base, they spread their troops around. Part of the reason why they gained so much footing is because they’ve been hidden in the Unknown Regions for decades. To be able to track them, we will place secret beacons in their mobile base - or bases, as Finn here has informed us. The mission will be masked as an assassination mission, in case we’re found out. The secret of the beacon is of the highest priority.”

Leia tapped on the holocaster, which tripled the holographic image of the Finalizer and crudely morphed them together.

“Three teams will infiltrate at the exact same moment through supply convoys. Beacons will be placed near the radar antennas of each Abysmal ship, so the extra signal will be hard to distinguish from galactic white noise.”

Lumpy raised his paw again. “Bhor!” [ _The signal can still be picked up outside of the Abysmal vessels. What kind of frequency will be used?_ ]

“Aha,” a Nautolan radar technician noted, “this is the ingenious part. The beacon masks as a radio station playing electronic music. A computer inside will generate smooth jazz music based on the coordinates of the vessel at that moment. If anyone outside the Abysmal intercepts the signal, all they will hear is a funky melody. We can decipher the music at any moment. The worst thing to happen is the First Order blocking the signal on their own devices, thinking it’s some pirate music station from one of the few smuggler asteroid bases in the Unknown Regions.”

“I heard the First Order is very unappreciative of jazz music,” noted Major Caluan, “we’ll need two more of those beacons ASAP. Get started on that, team.”

The radar team nodded and immediately returned to their work station. BB-8 beeped enthusiastically, as Poe taught the droid to enjoy jazz music generated from coordinates.

“Now the technical side is being dealt with, all that rests us is to discuss the infiltration teams,” said General Leia. “I’m appointing Poe Dameron leader in command. Dameron, please step forward with your teams.” 

“You’re giving me little time to work with, General, as always.” 

General Leia grinned. “Only because I know you work best under pressure.”

Poe reluctantly let go of Finn’s shoulder, and pushed another button on the holocaster. Three profiles appeared.

“Team Black: Poe Dameron as Black Leader. Finn as Black One. BB-8 as Black Two. Infiltration of Abysmal I through import of sanitation goods. Finn knows the distribution routes on the Finalizer, they will most likely be similar on the Abysmal.”

Poe furrowed his bushy black brows, scanning all higher-up pilots and team leaders present in the room, then nodded.

“Team Blue: Jess Pava as Blue Leader - don’t let me down, sweetheart!” In the corner, the human pilot Jessica let out a yelp of excitement and terror. “Black One, Snap! And what the heck, take Mr. Bones with you. You’re going in through the kitchens on Abysmal III.”

“Yeah!” The pilot Temmin Wexley exclaimed, and high-fived a battle droid next to him. 

Poe’s third team seemed to take him a lot more time. “I’ll be honest with you, General. If Han would have been here, I'd chosen him in a heartbeat. He would have been the perfect man on the job. Now Chewbacca is here, I want to make him Red Leader. Chewie, your thoughts?”

Chewbacca nodded in agreement. After all, he did have a ton of experience infiltrating nearly everything.

“A droid is an essential part of your team to override any locks you find on your way. It’s gonna be a BB-unit too, as you might have to escape by hijacking a TIE fighter. The First Order constantly updates their models so an astromech co-pilot will be of great help to you. I’ll assign BB-69 to your team, as Red Two.”

A white-green astromech droid, same model as BB-8, rolled forward and beeped slowly. Chewie made a face at the droids terribly chosen name, but Lumpy somehow felt drawn towards the BB-unit.

General Leia tilted her head. “And Red Two?”

Lumpy suddenly felt like everyone was staring at him, as if this was the worst job interview ever only multiplied by 40, and conducted by actual Generals and captains instead of underpaid recruiters. Of course he knew this was why Attichituk send him, but now push came to shove he felt nothing short of absolutely terrified.

Poe eyeballed the tall Wookie, and stepped towards him. “You have any ambition to go on this highly dangerous mission, Lumpawarrump Kaapauku?”

Lumpy only nodded.

“Well then… do you have any strategic inside at all?” Poe’s piercing eyes taunted the young Wookie, who sputtered and panted in defense. 

“Hogng!” [ _I am Leetsj, number one player of Galactic Commanders on the Tetra server!_ ]

“Oh my God! The legendary Leetsj is a _Wookie_!?”Snap blurted out in amazement.

Everyone over forty years of age dashed their gaze from Snap to Lumpy and back, obviously not understanding what a feat it is to reach the top of any server, let alone a private paid one like Tetra.

Lumpy crossed his arms in defense. “Hrg!” [ _I am well experienced in strategic planning and large-assault combat. My talent might lay more in the direction of efficient resource management like Galactic Commanders, but I am no stranger to smaller rogue missions on Startrooper Campaigns, and know the layout of Imperial-class Star Destroyers by heart_ .]

Poe was still not convinced, and decided to test this Wookie’s true knowledge. “I also happen to play Galactic Commanders in the little spare time I have. What if... theoretically, you were to ally with AI Gandhi early on in the game, what would your main focus be?”

Lumpy didn’t have to think long. “Worghl!” [ _Military. Even though Ghandi will be ahead of me military-wise so I could theoretically focus more on wealth, he is an untrustworthy piece of shit and I need to be ready for him when, not if, he will betray me!_ ]

Nobody but Poe, Snap and a few other youngsters knew what a brilliant foresight this was.

“Not bad, not bad at all…” nodded Poe. “What is in your opinion the worst ally?”

“Hugh.” [ _Nippon, they have an amazingly advanced military yet never leave their solar system. Pumping resources in them is a waste of time - points aren’t everything._ ]

Snap and Mister Bones clapped enthusiastically.

“Finally… You're playing the Promised Land campaign. By combining six settlers in one settlement, you only need four settlements for the required 20 settlers, leaving you efficient but vulnerable. Naturally, you are building the Exodus in a single tile surrounded by cities. The enemy suddenly attacks, cutting of your magrails and severely increasing travel time. What is your move to win back the magrail in one turn without jeopardizing both the Exodus and your minimal but dense settlements?”

The room fell silent, and General Leia felt a headache come up. “PZ-4CO, make a note to cap Internet time for these guys...”

Chewie stared at Poe’s know-it-all face, and produced the only right answer.

“Bor.” [ _Press Enter_.]

Snap, Mister Bones and Poe completely lost their shit. “You already put a move in the queue? Wow! No wonder you’re at 10,000, pal!”

Lumpy just shrugged, but he did make quite a face at his Dad, who couldn't hide that he was actually mildly impressed by his little boy. Chewie patted him on the shoulder while BB-69 rolled around his ankles. Leia smiled at the two Kaapauku Wookies, and quickly rounded up the meeting.

“Red team, Black team, Blue team... We are doing this!” said Poe, wrapping an arm around Finn who protested in pain. Jess and Snap were already on their way out, and Chewbacca followed them last, knowing that they wouldn't be leaving yet. Not after saying goodbye to Han.


	12. Colours of War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Han's farewell ceremony, Lumpy and Chewie take off on their secret mission for General Leia.

Creatures came flocking throughout the Galaxy to attend the ceremony for Han Solo and the other lost Resistance lives. A parade of memories slowly paced down the long row of shrines erected just outside the Resistance base, on a sunny day as the universe cares not for the grief of men. Friends of Han and Chewie, allies of the Resistance, old and new. Maz Kanata and her underlings, looking paler and more bend-over than before, contemplating her role in the grand scheme of things. Lando Calrissian, old and walking with a cane to accommodate his leg prosthetic, walked by the shrine and put down a shot glass of Han’s favorite drink.

Chewbacca took no part in the parade. He wouldn’t allow himself.

General Leia came to his barracks early in the morning, as the Resistance were working on the shrines to ask if Chewbacca had any input. He didn’t.

Leia sat beside her furry friend, and dug her fingers and nose in his furry coat. A sigh. Chewie stroked her hair buns, long and pondering, unsure what groan of comfort could ever be enough for Leia.

“I am selfish,” the General eventually whispered in confession. “I want you and your son, _your own goshdarn son_ , go under the Resistance’s noses for me. I want you to risk your life for me when I know that all that you must want is to strangle the little shit with your own paws.”

Chewie cried.

“You have a son, you must surely understand,” said Leia, not knowing Chewbacca had long ago given up on his son. In his darkest hour, he’d almost wish SL Snoke had taken Lumpy instead of Ben, or hell - Lumpy instead of Han, any day!

“I am so, so utterly selfish...”Tears streaming down Leia’s face broke Chewie’s over-thinking. “What can I offer you for my peace of mind? Anything, nothing is off limits.”

Chewie pushed Leia aside to look her in the eye. “Hrg…” [ _I haveth mine oath to Han. Beyond that, I need no reasoning to bring Ben back to thee, with our without the knowledge of thy Resistance. After all, am I not a smuggler? Thy son would not be the first one I smuggled home._ ]

 

~

 

Twelve hours later it was time. Goodbyes were said, helmets were polished, and superstitious little ceremonies were performed. Team Black, Blue and Red took off just before sunset, splitting threefold into their own directions. The Resistance had no knowledge of the Abysmal’s whereabouts, but through their newly formed allies they gathered information on their top three suppliers. While the Abysmal, as all Star Destroyers, was equipped with a hard to penetrate shield and sensitive radars, the ships of the suppliers were not.

Chewie looked into his own reflection in the window overlooking the mining planet. Even in orbit one could see the massive structures holding the tiny planet together as alien workers slaved day in day out to hollow out its rich core. The planet, simply known as E-2401, was property of the Dhaash-Kiel Mining Company, a daughter of the infamous Kuat-Entralla Engineering group, designers of the Star Destroyer.

Of course they hadn’t taken the Millenium Falcon, but a decrepit old supply ship, nearly indistinguishable from the thousands of others flying back and forth from the mining planet.

“Hugh!” [ _The supply ship we’re supposed to meet has a little green flag painted near the cockpit… Aha!_ ] Lumpy pointed towards a rather large cargo freighter south of the planet’s core hub.

Through the special radio transmitter, Chewbacca made contact with Team Green, a small infiltration group of Resistance sleepers.

“Hurgh.” [ _We areth incoming from the asteroid… U-572..._ ] Lumpy waved his paws at the written code to correct his Wookie superior. [ _U-527… carrying platinum samples for quality research_.]

Team Green seemed to answer straight away. “ _Confirmed. Docking at Hub 21 has been approved, see you there_.” Radio contact broke off immediately as to not arouse suspicion of the Dhaash-Kiel leaders.

After skilfully docking the ship on cargo hub 21, Chewbacca and Lumpy waited. And waited.

“Hgh?” [ _Areth thou sure it’s the ship we need?_ ]

“Bor!” [ _Very sure. We just have to wait._ ]

BB-69 beeped slowly and rolled towards the exit ramp, ready to strike in case their cover was blown. The astromech droid didn’t have a fancy lighter like BB-8, but had a few tricks up its sleeves as well.

Suddenly, the signal. Three short whistles, two long, short, two long. “Harg!” [ _It’s them. Open the hatch, BB-69._ ]

The droid responded more slowly than the BB-8 unit, but made considerably less noise, which was a huge plus in a mission like this. Moments after the doors opened, two humanoid Resistance rebels entered Chewie’s supply ship.

“Quick, there is not much time before the guards come back,” said the smaller one of them, and took off his robes and glasses. The other one did the same and gave his disguise to Lumpy, who reluctantly put his Cuban hat away in favor of a large welding helmet.

“You are to take the cargo freighter to Hub 1, where you will make radio contact with the leader there. He will transmit the coordinates in code. Sadly, despite our best efforts our Droid was unable to hack into the mainframe... And was destroyed...” said the taller rebel.

BB-69 dropped his dome-head in sadness.

“You will have to follow the freighter’s autopilot, and it will bring you to a certain asteroid in the Nim-Khum belt in the Unknown Regions. From there, cargo will be transported to the Abysmal itself, and you will be in it. We haven’t personally seen the thing, but rumors here say it’s gigantic!” exclaimed the shorter Rebel.

Lumpy nodded. A journey with two connections, one of which they just made.

The Resistance Rebels pounded their chest as a sign of camaraderie. “Good luck… We will speak of your bravery back home, Wookies.”

The trio switched places with the duo, and hid the Droid in a large net while the humanoid Rebels disappeared back into the void of space in the decrepit supply ship.

To Lumpy, everything suddenly became real. There was no turning back now. If something went wrong, they had to improvise their way out of it, as their only connection to the Resistance had just taken off back to D’Qar.

His heart was pounding loudly and he tried his best to walk natural as they entered the cargo hub. Luckily the hub was filled with workers, dealers, miners and superiors all yelling in various languages at various volumes, making it easy for the two Wookies to sneak to the docks where the Green team vessel was ready.

Without as much as a check, Lumpy, Chewbacca and BB-69 easily boarded the cargo freighter, which had a similar layout to the old cargo ships Chewbacca grew up with. Still, he was glad to have the droid with him, who Lumpy quickly plugged into the astromech hole. The freighter took off without a sputter, and when they flew nearer to Hub one, Lumpy could finally sit back and relax a little.

“Bhorgh.” [ _This is going pretty smoothly!_ ]

“Hrggh…” Chewie growled, and looked at the nearing dots on the radar. [ _Too smoothly!_ ]

Two intimidating looking vessels were closing in on the green-flag cargo freighter, and from a hatch on the nose of the ships a nasty looking gripper suddenly appeared. When Lumpy looked closer, he could see tiny sparks flashing off the grippers.

“Mworgh!!!” [ _Electrodroids!_ ]

One of the grippers extended like a chameleon's tongue and hit the back of the cargo ship, causing a large explosion and temporarily flickering the lights inside the cramped cabin. Chewbacca accelerated without further doubt, swerving between the other cargo ships waiting in line before Hub 1.

Lumpy was roughly reminded of having to strap himself in, before Chewbacca extended a paw to him. “Bwogh!” [ _Taketh the wheel, Lumpy, I might do someth… modifications._ ]

In slight panic, Lumpy took over control, while BB-69 seemed in distress over his calculated usefulness at either Lumpys or Chewbacca’s side.

“Rggg!” [ _For Khalluk’s sake droid, stay here and help me not crash into everything!_ ]

Lumpy tried to focus on both the radar and his experience with flying simulators to pull himself through this chase. The electrodroid behind them were still gnawing at the freighter’s heels, sparks flying everywhere like a fiery rain.

A sharp turn to the left avoiding a scrap collector, and an annoyed growl from inside the freighter’s drive. “Dargh!” [ _Sorry_!] Lumpy apologized, and forced himself to get his shit together. This was nothing like even the most difficult of Startrooper Campaigns! It didn’t help that Chewbacca was making some sort of modification to the ship so Lumpy couldn’t just go and push buttons.

After what felt like ages, Chewbacca arose from the ship’s heart.

“Bowargh!” [ _Manual override, Lumpy, like I showed thee!_ ]

Cherie pressed the fuel injector button in a reflex, and suddenly heard a large explosion behind him. “Warg!” [ _You’re using the fuel cells as bombs?_ ]

Chewbacca shrugged. “Grgh.” [ _I scoreth no points in creativity there._ ]

BB-69 beeped in excitement as they saw one of the electrodroids crash into an unsuspecting cargo ship. Lumpy tried not to hyperventilate and wished there were no casualties resulting from their actions.

The second electrodroid was a lot harder to shake off, and when it pinched the back of the green flag ship for a third time, the ship started shaking uncontrollably. Suddenly, when even Chewbacca was at the end of his wits, a sudden bang could be heard from the back of the vessel.

Lumpy tried to distinguish what was going on, but was filled in on the details as soon as the radio turned on.

“Need some help, old furry friend?”

“BOGH!!!” [ _Lando, thy cocksucker!_ ]

The dark-skinned man saluted the two Wookies from his cockpit as he rammed the second electrodroid into oblivion. More were coming, but the old friend of Chewbacca made sure to bash them out of the way with his exceptionally bulky cargo ship, on the side of which the name “DO-1T-4-H4N” was spray-painted.

“You furry old rag, what brings you here _?_ ”

Chewbacca cried. “Horrr….!” [ _I could ask the same of thee, Lando!_ ] Lumpy could hear his old friend cough and make up a horrible excuse. “It’s business, nothing else. Some personal… trades...”

“Grorgh!” [ _Thy spice-smuggling bastard… I am in thine debt._ ]

“Don’t make a big deal out if it like you did with Han. I’ll be out of your business in no time.” Lando winked at the two Wookies, then steered his ship right into a looping dragging the mass of electrodroids away from the green flag ship, clearing an exit for Lumpy and Chewie.

BB-69 chirped loudly, and took over control of the ship as Team Red cleared E-2401’s gravitational pull. Once the freighter hit deep space, there was no sign of any assailants or trackers behind them. The radar also showed no sign, and BB-69 had already disabled the tracker of the vessel.

“Bwork.” [ _That was close… but how do we get to the asteroid with no coordinates?_ ]

Chewie landed a heavy serious paw on Lumpy’s shoulder.

“Horgh.” [ _We art not going to the asteroid._ ] It was time the young Wookie learned of the true colors of war.


	13. Vision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Supreme Leader Snoke calls his commanders to a meeting, but has something else in mind for Kylo Ren.

Finally, after more than three days, the Commander of the Knights of Ren ceased being shirtless. Everything appeared to be back to normal, but nothing was further from the truth. The troopers had noticed a change in atmosphere, a change in tension between them and the higher-ups. Somehow General Hux’ forehead vein seemed to pop up a lot less - rumors started he had laser surgery again just as he did with the gash on his cheek given after his first meeting with Kylo Ren.

Actually, _both_ Commanders' moods had improved significantly, with no new incidents on Ren’s side to be reported. His days were filled with training on Abysmal II, the nights with more physical activity, that being pounding General Hux until he stopped begging for more. They never lingered around too long, treating their nightly escapades as their daily ones - quick, unnoticed, with no superfluous words or gestures. Kylo Ren found it harder to focus during the day, but Snoke always made sure to jolt him back from his daydreams to the grueling reality of training simulations.

Two days later, the trio was summoned for another afternoon meeting with SL Snoke, by request of the Supreme Leader himself. Hux, Phasma and Ren were both curious what the meeting could be about, so they, or rather Captain Phasma, arranged a pre-meeting. _Oh the joy of being in command,_ thought Hux, mentally scrapping his rendezvous with Ren in escape pod 42 he'd originally planned on this empty spot in his agenda. Missing zero-gravity sex really ruined his day here.

Ren himself had never felt any better, or so he told himself. With Snoke’s intense new training regime, he had very little spare energy to focus on anything else but training, eating, sleeping, and fucking Hux’ brains out. Still, during moments like this, _planning a pre-meeting for fucks sake_ , he felt an uneasy feeling creeping up on him. He'd expected that, after the extremely traumatizing and treacherous act of killing his own dad, he would be feeling much stronger. He didn't. He actually felt exactly the same.

“I don’t want to go to Kylo Ren's office,” said Captain Phasma as the three were discussing the time and place of their pre-meeting, snapping Ren out of his pondering, “it’s all weird with that ashtray centerpiece thing going on.”

Kylo Ren’s eyes widened as if Captain Phasma had just called him unspeakable things.

“Do you even know _who_ that ash is?”

With a defeated look on her face, Captain Phasma took out her personal screen. “Another fifty bucks for you, General…?”

“ _Will you stop making bets on me!?_ ”

“All right, all right, my office it is…” Hux compromised, although he wasn't 100% sure the cleaners had sufficiently fixed the mess he and Ren had left behind after their get-together the night before.

The three marched to Hux’ office, leaving all troopers in their path stop their duties in awe and gaze at the black and chrome figures of their supreme commanders. Captain Phasma greeted every single one of them with their correct number, a feat deeply respected by the General.

Once they entered his office, General Hux could almost hear Captain Phasma frown underneath her helmet, as she commented: “nice Starkiller replica, General...” She gestured at the new chrome miniature of the late Starkiller, rivaled in shininess only by her own polished armor.

“Isn’t it accurate? Cost me only fifty credits,” the General teased while polishing a blemish away with his leather glove. The miniature was a spot-on duplicate, and even sported a tiny red LED at its core.

Kylo Ren protested: “so you did place a bet on who my parents are, too? Petty.”

“It was quite obvious you’re from Skywalker lineage. I bet on General Leia Organa, and Captain Phasma here obviously didn't know enough about Jedi to know they are not supposed to marry and bet on the wrong twin.”

Kylo Ren remained surprisingly calm. “Well, the Captain and I have a bet of their own, too.”

General Hux tapped his chin in wonder. “And what could that be? The First Order tattoo thing _again_...?”

“Your first name, General…” Ren placed his gloved hands on Hux’ desk and chuckled when he saw Hux throw a look of annoyance and betrayal towards Captain Phasma, who just shrugged. “I bet Brandol, like your father, General.”

“Oh I see!” the General sneered, and leaned back in confidence. “An educated guess, but no, it’s not Brandol. It's also not my grandfather’s name, Christopher Hux.”

Captain Phasma clenched her fists, seeing another fifty bucks disappear from her personal account, unless Kylo Ren also guessed wrong.

The General, although slightly annoyed these two troublemakers were prodding in his personal business, couldn’t help but wonder what Kylo Ren’s take on the bet was. Even though they'd become pretty close to Hux standards, he did not share his given name yet. “If you both guess wrong, do I get the prize money? I’ve seen a platinum version of the Death Star in the catalog that I’d like to get too.”

Kylo Ren chuckled, and gazed over to Phasma. “Captain, you know I deeply respect you, but how you could overlook this simple thing is beyond me.” He raised his hand, and General Hux’s cocky smug immediately disappeared as he felt Ren easily enter his unprepared mind.

“I always get what I want.”

General Hux tried to resist as he gritted his teeth and stomped his boots against his desk. How could he!

“C-cheater…!” he gurgled, as he felt Ren inside him, searching, listening….

Suddenly, Kylo Ren let out a very uncharacteristic laugh, and dropped his Force grip.

“Bodacious…!?”

Captain Phasma did her best not to laugh, but failed. As the General let the mockery flood over him, he straightened his collar. “Now, _Gwendolyn_ Phasma, _Ben Solo_ … can we _please_ focus on the task at hand?”

Ren’s laughter fell silent. “Don’t ever call me that again. I can kill a man without touching him. Can you imagine what I can do to a man by touching him?”

General Hux sneered, determined to put Ren in his place after prying that secret out of his head. Outside of the bedroom, Hux liked to be in control. “Now that we're all focused on the importance of showing our chosen name to our subordination instead of our real ones, can we please, for God's sake, continue with the pre-meeting…”

Kylo Ren was actually quite hurt by Hux' snapping, and spaced out during the meeting to sulk internally. What a waste of valuable training hours. SL Snoke already decided Ren’s Commander tasks would be divided over the Knights of Ren while he focused on his training, so why was it so absolutely necessary he was present at this presumably boring technical meeting?

After no less than a full hour of discussing al possible topics SL Snoke could want to be informed about, the three boarded the pod from the Finalizer to Abysmal II. Ren watched the smaller, fist-sized asteroids float by and disintegrate in the shield of the transport pod like flies on a windshield. He felt Hux’ green eyes on his back, but refused to turn around. He was still not over the fact that the General used his true name to spite him. Even though the feat of killing his own father had rooted a deep respect in nearly all high-ranking officers, Ren didn’t feel comfortable with this secret out in the open.

After five minutes, the transport pod docked with Abysmal II and the five other Knights of Ren guided the trio in command in silence, through the endless chrome and black minimalist halls to the command center at the heart of the Abysmal, where SL Snoke would be waiting for them.

The man was quite small in real life, towering a mere inches above the shortest Knight of Ren. The five men took position next to SL Snoke’s chair, a prominent spot next to him left blank as to signify Rey’s future destiny.

“My commanders,” SL Snoke started, raising his hand as a sign of welcoming. “I have summoned you here because -

Ren completely spaced out, but not because of the super boring speech SL Snoke was giving on something like resource distribution efficiency. No, Ren was going into full-on hallucination mode, as he felt SL Snoke enter his head without warning and without resistance.

Twenty-five years ago, Leia send him away. Five years later, Snoke entered himself in Ren’s life. Another five years, Ren left everyone else's lives.

 _You feel no grief,_ he heard, and a flash of himself as a young pilot, aged no older than twelve, in a far too complicated cockpit and being teased by the other Padawan. He did not inherit his father’s talent for flight, but the one for getting in trouble.

_You are glad they are all dead._

The ground fell from Ren’s feet as he landed on the Jedi Academy ground. He witnessed a younger himself stomp away in anger, yelling: “You think you’re all so cool! ‘Luke-senpai, notice me! Look at how awesome I am at sitting on a rock thinking about nothing for four hours!’ I will show you...” A rock rose up in the air and vaporized before Ren’s young, angry face.

_This is an accomplishment, isn’t it?_

Dead Jedi. Dead Padawans. Rain. Luke, stumbling to hold on to life. A young girl. Strong. Too strong.

_You are fulfilling your grandfather's destiny, aren’t you?_

The end of all Jedi. Ren killing Luke with a strike of his lightsaber. Rey, dead too. Leia, dead. Snoke, dead. Ren, standing, panting, bringing his lightsaber towards his gut to kill himself.

Ren tried to turn away from this horrendous future, but as it was projected into his mind, there was no escape from what SL Snoke foresaw.

_Yet I feel another divide in your heart. You do not wish to fulfill your destiny anymore._

It was ages since Ren tried to fight SL Snoke, and he hesitated before he felt the Force penetrate the deepest parts of his mind. His strength slipped away, as he desperately tried to block Snoke out of his head again.

“I am whole,” he spoke to SL Snoke in his mind, “I know my destiny.”

SL Snoke showed him another, similar vision. Again, the end of all Jedi. Ren killing Luke and Rey with a single strike of his lightsaber. Leia and Snoke dead - _Hux, dead!_ Phasma hunched above him, reanimating, chrome armor stained with blood shining in sickly green light. Ren, standing, panting. He alone. Victorious and powerful. Whole.

Ren cried, and tried to cling to Hux’ dead vision body. His cold, empty stare burned himself into his memory, and the ensuing rage almost let Ren break free from SL Snoke’s Force-grip.

“You are hesitant. Killing your father has not resolved the divide within you, Ren. And this makes you **_weak_**.”

The Knight of Ren fell trembling to his knees as SL Snoke pulled back at once, startling both Captain Phasma and General Hux who were oblivious to Ren’s sudden visions. Ren tried to pull himself together, but the humiliation at what SL Snoke discovered in his mind prevented him from doing so.

General Hux immediately guessed what happened, and looked up in rare terror to SL Snoke.

The Supreme Leader only laughed.


	14. Infiltration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chewbacca reveals General Leia's plan to Lumpy. Will the young Wookie trust his father enough to proceed further into the lair of the First Order?

“Horgh…” _[I don’t understand._ ] said Lumpy and looked at Chewbacca, not sure what to expect of this ominous wording. “Bworg?” [ _Aren’t we on a mission of the Resistance?_ ]

“Gwogh.” [ _It is not as simple as that, son.]_ From his belt, Chewbacca fetched a very small radio transmitter and turned it on. After a couple of seconds, contact seemed to be made as the only LED on the device switched on. Chewbacca turned over to BB-69, who accepted the transmitter as if it was a delicious treat.

“Bwogh hoghghor!” [ _We art to deviate from the plan. Instead of taking the scenic route, we wilt useth this ship’s radar covereth to moveth to wherever this transmitter is taking us._ ]

Lumpy reached for his bowcaster. “Hor?” [ _And where is that taking us?_ ]

“Woragh.” [ _Directly to Kylo Ren himself, as by secret orders of General Leia]._ Chewbacca threw a three-pack of safari nets towards Lumpy. “Hor.” [ _Practice on BB-69_.]

Lumpy shook his head. “Wargh!” [ _Isn’t this much like treason? Going over the head of the Resistance command just to bring that low-life home?_ ]

“GWARGH!” [ _If 't be true the Resistance kneweth of this transmitter they’d beest sending nukes right this instant. Ben ist Han’s son, and mine life debt is bound to him!_ ] In rage, Chewbacca slammed on the control panel which immediately started beeping loudly. BB-69 stuffed some plugs with his extensions and beeped condescendingly to Chewbacca.

The Wookie quickly calmed down as he understood it must be hard to understand for such a young and inexperienced Wookie such as Lumpy. He patted the youngster on his shoulder. “Hrghhgrh.” [ _Loose thy ridiculous welding helmet and put thy_ _hat back on]._ Considering that an adequate apology, he got up and started tinkering with some parts.

Lumpy fell back into the copilot seat, and felt anxiety creeping up on him. Not once in his life had his Dad showed any interest in him, but bringing Han's total piece of trash son home was suddenly the mission of the century. Lumpy sighed. Maybe this attitude didn;t get him anywhere, and instead of complaining all the time like the latent soul of C3PO incarnated, he should get up and prove his Dad he was a worthy son too.

A loud explosion followed, some Wookie noises. Lumpy pinched his nose bridge. Okay, they were doing this. A secret rogue kidnapping mission, though? Sure, he had virtual experience with escort missions, but extraction of the most dangerous Dark Side user of this part of the Galaxy? Complete madness. Then again, Chewie's friendship with Leia was as strong as his commitment to Han, and was actually quite admirable.

Suddenly, Lumpy heard a whooshing sound, and his radar went completely insane.

“Horrr,” said Chewbacca as he came back from the hyperdrive, blowing on his paw as if he had burned himself. [ _Turn it off, we don’t need it any more. I have activated the radar cloak in this vessel. It will refresh periodically for us to connect to the signal._ ]

[ _I didn’t know cargo freighters of this type had a radar cloak._ ] Lumpy frowned.

[ _Designed by Lando. That gent is known to has't hath developed some quaint advanced cloaking techniques._ ]

Lumpy wasn't convinced just yet. [ _How do I know this signal is authentic and not a trap to lure us into and pry in our minds with whatever torture flavor of the day?_ ]

“Har!” [ _General Leia trusted me this information cameth from a valorous source: the renegade Stormtrooper Finn. He hath shared with us that there is a tracker in Kylo Ren’s belt, placed thither by General Hux in an act of distrust. The frequency hath been shared amongst troopers as to avoid the hot-headed Knight._ ]

Lumpy shrugged. “Ghar.” _[I find this a reasonable argument. Well, does this thing have a hyperdrive too?]_

Chewbacca nodded in excitement. “Kwarg!” [ _Naturally, Lumpy. All honours to thee!_ ]

Once Lumpy has calmed down sufficiently, he pushed the freighter into hyperdrive, right towards the Nim-Khum belt.

 

~

 

After a journey of merely hours, Lumpy woke up from his nap as the freighter pulled out of hyperspace, BB-69 just having freed himself from the safari net he’d just practiced with. The mini transmitter in its head blinked, a sign they were within 10 kilometers of their target.

“Grrr,” Chewbacca whispered, and pawed towards the cockpit window. [ _We has’t arrived!_ ]

An absolutely gigantic construction, mostly resembling two elongated black Doritos stuck together, and then every Dorito having 4,000 laser cannons, doomed up ahead of the now seemingly small cargo freighter. A third Dorito was in its final stage of completion, its hull already screwed down by hundreds of worker droids who now moved on to another 4,000 laser cannons.

Never in his wildest dreams had Lumpy seen a Star Destroyer like this, and made a mental note of the large magnetic generators that could be seen in the negative space of the combined Abysmal I and II. Efficient, but vulnerable.

“Uhahrrr.” [ _They have not detected us yet, but we are reaching visual territory_ ] warned Chewbacca, and steered the freighter behind an asteroid. With some clever moves he was able to park the freighter on an iron-rich asteroid, where tiny mining robots were hacking away at the ores beneath the surface. The droids were too insignificant to carry any detectors, and as Chewbacca pulled out the space suits he pointed to a large quarry droid nearby, who had an almost full bin of iron ore. A large “A-II” was painted on its side, which led the Wookies to believe this one was designated to go to Abysmal II, their target according to BB-69’s mini transmitter.

“Hor.” [ _How convenient. We wilt hook ourselves to that droid and enter the vessel through the ore depository._ ]

Lumpy nodded in confirmation, put on his space suit and helmet, and secured BB-69 in a net on his back. Leaving the cargo freighter behind, the two Wookies set foot on the uneven, chalky terrain on the asteroid, carefully avoiding all mining drones until they reached the quarry. With a quick knot, Lumpy secured himself, Chewbacca and BB-69 to the droid’s bin. Right on time - just as the last droid dropped his ores into the bin, the quarry droid slowly started making way to the Abysmal II.

When they neared the depository, Lumpy tugged on Chewbacca’s sleeve and pointed towards a maintenance ladder leading to a port on the belly of Abysmal II. Chewbacca nodded, and the two of them descended the ladder while keeping BB-69 safe in his safari net.

Once they reached the port, it was easy for the astromech droid to override the lock and let the two Wookies in. After passing through an airlock, the Wookies ended up in a cramped utility room. As expected, the room was deserted, as Abysmal II seemed to be the primary depository for ores, a task managed entirely by worker droids.

The Wookies quickly removed their space suits and stashed them in the far corner of the room underneath some crated. BB-69 dropped a mini beacon so if push came to shove, the Wookies could get out of the Star Destroyer the same way they came in.

Only now it dawned on Lumpy. The second step of their mission - whatever it was now, was a success! They were inside the secret base of SL Snoke, and the mini transmitter indicated Kylo Ren was here too.

“Bwrr,” whispered Lumpy. [ _I propose we wait until he is in the same location for four hours or more. This might indicate he went to sleep, so we can take him in his personal quarters without too much hassle._ ]

Chewbacca shook his head. “Hugh!” [ _We needeth to beest out ‘ere Team Black and Blue arrive hither. Poe Dameron is brilliant, but a triple-team moveth also triples the chance of being caught. The sooner we art out of hither, the better for General Leia’s mission._ ]

Lumpy rolled his eyes. “Whoch.” [ _Why not do both missions?_ ]

“Darr!” [ _First the boy, then the beacon!_ ] Chewbacca was very stern in his answer - as he was as a Dad. He released BB-69 from the net and urged him to slightly open the door to the hallway to see if the coast was clear.

The room outside of the maintenance shack was clearly a working floor. Droids were melting down the ores on a medium scale, possibly to make ammunition as was common to vessels of Kuat-Entralla. They were bolted to the machines, and looked very little like the individual BB-unit droids.

Lumpy looked around the shack and found some tube-shaped piece of metal, which he carefully rolled down the work floor to see if the droids would react. Nothing. They were good to go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh shit where did the crack go?


	15. Loyalty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lumpy understood Chewie's wordless plan, but had an addition to make. He stuck up his fingers. Two. One. Two birds with one stone - kill SL Snoke, get Ben Solo.

With exceptional stealth one would not expect from two two-meter tall Wookies and a solid steel droid, the trio made their way across the floor, to the cross-hallway. In the distance they could see two troopers doing their rounds - if Lumpy was correct, video cameras would only be installed in main hallways, armory, helm and all exits. Even after taking such a huge leap forward from the Imperial technology, it was still cheaper to have nameless troopers do the rounds and shoot at anything suspicious.

Another cross-hallway. Another stock room. Another escape hatch, leading to the vents. Luckily the vent was large enough for BB-69 to roll forward with his head tilted downward. This would allow the Wookies to cross a lot of ground without being seen, and to move along the main hallway without being spotted by cameras.

After a crawl of nearly an hour, the mini transmitter’s LED flashed green. Lumpy remembered Chewbacca telling him this meant they were within ten meters of Kylo Ren. They crawled towards a T-split, and divided themselves among the vents to all get a clear side at the scene beneath the vent cover. With a small, electric drill BB-69 managed to pry the vent cover open just enough for Lumpy to have a peek.

_Supreme Leader Snoke!_

They’d hit the jackpot. The mini transmitter had led them to the heart of the Abysmal II, where they could clearly see all five Knights of Ren, Kylo Ren and his ginger and chrome cohorts, and the ugly disfigured face of no other than SL Snoke himself.

Lumpy suppressed the need to start hyperventilating, and pawed downward for Chewbacca to see. The senior Wookie also reacted in shock, but gestured for Lumpy to load his weapon, while Chewie himself loaded the safari net onto his bowcaster. Chewie himself got a smoke bomb, and pointed to the devices. First, safari net. Then, grappling hook. Then, smoke bomb. Finally, he pointed to the vent leading to the TIE docks according to BB-69.

Lumpy nodded. He understood this wordless plan, but had an addition to make. He stuck up his fingers. Two. One. Two birds with one stone - kill SL Snoke, get Ben Solo.

Chewbacca shook his head aggressively. Too dangerous! But Lumpy was certain. With the amount of modifications Chewie had added, why not change the mission entirely? Lumpy handed the bowcaster to Chewbacca and got the safari net for himself. Chewie was a good shot, and a good shot was needed to hit that sweet spot right between Snoke’s prying little eyes. Lumpy rested his paw on Chewie, and gave him a meaningful look. Kill the man that took Han’s son away. Chewie swallowed, and nodded.

Go!

BB-69 pried the rest of the vent away to fully reveal the gathering of Knights below. Chewbacca smiled at the shaking face of Snoke, who was probably laughing at his own jokes about killing babies or whatever and thought was really super funny. He sure was having a blast down there, and Chewie almost didn’t want to grant the man a death in the middle of the laughing stupor.

Right as SL Snoke started his sentence: “ _you_ and _Hux_? Picture perf-” Chewie unleashed the only shot that felt like it mattered during this lifetime.

Within seconds all hell broke loose in the command center below them. The bowcaster quarrel exploded right on SL Snoke’s nose, or what was left of it, projecting half his jaw across the room as the surprisingly tiny figure of the old man stumbled backward.

Lightsabers unsheathed immediately, eyes darted to wherever the shot came from. Among them, Kylo Ren was free to catch like a perfectly positioned toy in the fun fair claw machine. Lumpy adjusted the shot twice, and breathed out. Do it. He shot the safari net down from the opening of the vent, and BB-69 dropped the smoke bomb before rolling back towards safety. Kylo Ren didn’t even see what was coming before he was entangled in a -

“A safari net? Seriously?” Ren grunted tried to reach his light saber beneath him, which he luckily turned off the moment he let go of it. He felt someone tugging at the net, and like a slightly deformed plushie he was hoisted up towards the ceiling.

Smoke bomb!

The blast was loud enough to hear outside the secured room, and the Wookies knew they had little time to hoist him up and disappear into the vents. Lumpy pulled with all his might, but below in the control room General Hux was already shooting holes in the relatively thin metal of the vents.

“Show yourselves!” he yelled, as he wheezed against the smoke bomb's heavy, spicy effects. Kylo Ren almost reached his saber before it slipped through a hole in the net, before his hand was grazed by an energy bullet from Hux' ridiculously tiny boot gun. “Stop shooting, Hux! You’re gonna hit me!” he yelled.

“Can’t you stop bullets in mid-air?”

“Only when I can _goddamn_ see them!”

Ren tried not to worry too much - once he reached the opening of the vent he could vaguely make out two furry shapes. _Of fucking course_. He shifted around and pushed his boots against the lower side of the vent. Whoever was pulling him didn't have the Force on his side. With all his might, Ren pulled the rope at the end of the safari net back to himself, and after no more than 4 seconds the figure on the other side fell through the vent hole.

The landing was hard and painful, but finally Ren was able to struggle free from the net. Lumpy moaned in pain and reached for his bowcaster, but it was Force-pushed away from him. He looked up at Kylo Ren who strutted towards him like a mother who's son called her a bitch under his breath.

“It’s not going to be that easy,” Kylo Ren grinned, and Force-pulled the lightsaber back into his hand. Lumpy’s eyes widened, imagining the first time to witness to Force to be a lot more special and a lot less lethal. Kylo Ren strutted towards him, his full bad form and posture while swinging the blade around like a fiery extension of his arm.

General Hux managed to open a door and kick the smoke bomb far away from the scene. As the smoke cleared from the command center, the scene revealed two Knights guarding SL Snoke and Captain Phasma performing CPR while also shooting in the general direction of Chewbacca, still inside the vent.

“GWOR!” [ _Flee, Dad!_ ] cried Lumpy as he crawled as fast as he could. He was certain Kylo Ren was just taunting him and not planning on hurting him just yet, but the more distance between him and the Knight, the better.

“You're Chewbacca's son?” Ren laughed. “Dads usually don't live long in my presence,” Ren grinned, and pulled the junior Wookie on his feet. “Let’s say hello to him!” He stretched out his long arm. Cracks, dust, Chewie screaming some obscenities. The vent was starting to shift as Ren Force-pulled the entire section out of the ceiling.

Chewbacca tried, but it was too late. He nudged BB-69 to move away, and then jumped down the vent hole before the entire vent section came down crashing on the floor of the command room. He rolled it off, darted up and aimed his loaded bowcaster at Kylo Ren’s head.

“Hrrr…” [ _I won’t miss again, Ben._ ]

The heat of four lightsabers prodded at his back, and from the corner of his eye he saw the red-haired General aiming his blaster as him, as well as the shiny stormtrooper Captain still bend over the gasping form of SL Snoke.

“We won’t, either,” said Ren calmly, and caressed Lumpy’s neck fur with the tip of his saber. Chewbacca was unable to find words wretched enough for Ren, and after some more intense staring and growling, he dropped the bowcaster on the floor. Team Red had botched its mission.

Chewbacca could only growl and cast looks on the Knight as troopers were called into the command room to tie the two Wookies up. With the furry threat controlled, Kylo Ren and Hux hastened towards their master, laying defeated in Pharma's arms. The damage seemed severe, but not lethal.

“I’ve sent for a MediPod,” panted Captain Phasma, helmet on the floor and blood staining her rosy cheeks. “He’ll pull through. Leave it in my hands, Kylo, General…”

General Hux nodded. “Move to the interrogation - no, towards the helm. The view is much better there.”

Lumpy was roughly pushed away, and Chewbacca seemed like he could kill himself at any moment. Still, Lumpy wasn’t Lumpy if the old heroes hadn’t taught him to never lose hope. BB-69 was still there, with the jazz music beacon, ready to program it into a distress signal to Team Black and Blue.

The Knights of Ren, their Kylo and General Hux marched the two Wookies down the hallway, away from the mess in the command room.

Phasma relaxed, and rose to her feet. SL Snoke was stable, but still unconscious.

“FT-422, GR-9987….” she called, picking up her helmet again. Two Troopers standing guard moved towards Phasma. They removed their helmets and placed them on the floor. Female troopers - snipers. Hand-picked by the Captain herself.

Phasma exchanged looks with the two, then took her blaster and shot SL Snoke right in the heart, killing him. Then, she took her helmet from the floor and wiped Snoke’s blood away with the tip of her cape before donning it again, a pained look on her face. The female troopers nodded and also donned their helmets again.

“To the death,” Phasma repeated her oath to the First Order, and followed her commanders towards the helm of the Abysmal II.


	16. THIS IS NOT A DRILL

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “A manual override?” Hux exploded. “How can it be that on the Abysmal II of all Star Destroyers, everything can go to shits by a manual override?”
> 
> “Design flaw… hmm…” The commandeer looked like he desperately needed a glass of water and Hux looked like he desperately needed to ram his boot up this man’s ass.

The Abysmal’s helm was nearly identical to that of Darth Vader’s Imperial Star Destroyer - a nice touch suggested by Kylo Ren himself. The General had given in to this ridiculous demand, but had to admit he quite like it. A large viewport overseeing whatever target the once complete Abysmal would hit was a nice addition to any kind of evil base.

The Wookies were seated in the middle of the helm. Of course, the actual people doing the steering and calculations were in the secondary helm just behind this one, so the Wookies wouldn’t have the opportunity to go rogue looking for the self-destruct button.

“I like this view,” General Hux noted as he walked past the viewport to the right. “You can see the docks from here. Did you know the Abysmal is a new model Star Destroyer and can host even more TIE fighters than before?”

Lumpy decided this was the absolute worst moment to admit he was quite a fan of the classical design of the Abysmal II.

“I can see and count every fighter that’s going to destroy those precious little Resistance pilots of yours,” sneered the General, and paced towards the two Wookies.

Kylo Ren was on the opposite side of the room, feeling something none of the other men felt. Despite Captain Phasma's best efforts, he'd felt that ever-present feeling suddenly dim out. SL Snoke was gone, most likely succumbed to the wounds inflicted. A ripple in the Force made its way to all sensitives nearby. Could Rey feel it? Could Mum feel it, or Luke…?

As General Hux continued to interrogate the Wookies on their plans, Ren couldn’t help but feel lost without his master, especially after being given such a doomy foresight into two of his possible futures. Still, Ren couldn't deny the fact he did not feel as strong after killing Han as Snoke had promised. Maybe Snoke meant to threaten to take Hux away too if Ren didn't start showing progress.

The wound Chewbacca inflicted on him - _oh ages ago, it felt,_ stung like a guilty conscious. Ren couldn’t blame the Wookie, but was surprised at what a terrible shot he turned out to be at the bridge in the thermal oscillator. Something inside him said Chewie missed the shot on purpose, but why come back for him here?

He rose his full 1.85 meters and took it to the Wookie, who immediately started shouting more obscenities in the large vocabulary he’d acquired over the years as a smuggler.

Ren pretended not to understand Chewbacca’s cries, but of course he did. Nearly every spare moment he had off from the Jedi academy was spend on Kashyk because his mother was always off on some dangerous planet doing dangerous General things. Of course Ren spoke ShyriiWook - it was one of the easiest language to learn and anyone who didn’t understand was either deaf or completely stupid.

“It was Mum, wasn’t it?” he scoffed.

Chewie spit in Kylo’s face, enraging the man to the point he unleashed a punch in the Wookie’s mouth. Hux grabbed his shoulder. “He _wants_ you to lose control.”

Ren breezed, and decided to remove his helmet. He practically threw it on the floor, before aggressively stepping in front of the other Wookie: Lumpy.

“Since your Dad here won’t talk, why don’t I start with you.” Ren tilted his head. “Were you sent by General Leia of the Resistance to assassinate me?”

Lumpy saw the torture thing being brought forward already, and he did not feel like his eardrums getting drilled into by a twice-used needle. The First Order probably didn't care that much about hygiene, at least not for their prisoners.

“Hr!” [ _Of course twas Leia, who else cares about thee!_ ] spit Chewbacca, determined to not let Lumpy become a traitor. Lumpy ironically felt a lump in his throat, seeing his Dad defend him like this.

Kylo Ren flipped his shit and nearly attacked the Wookie again, save for General Hux holding him back. “You piece of sh-” Ren shouted, before being rudely interrupted.

“K-Kylo Ren…?” a stormtrooper dared speak with fear for his life, and Ren looked up ready to Force-strangle him this exact moment if he deemed the news unworthy. “And General Hux… We have reports that the eh… Millennium Falcon is spotted right over by Abysmal I.”

“What?” Kylo Ren breathed heavily. “That makes no sense. The Wookie is already here!”

“Well, they are currently landing on AT-II, sir.”

General Hux and Kylo Ren dashed towards the viewport, right at the moment Captain Phasma entered the helm with two troopers besides her.

“What is going on here?” she exclaimed, surprised at seeing her General and Kylo tumble over each other in order to get a look at the AT-II landing pad.

“It _is_ the Falcon,” admitted Ren.

“It landed. Why are the TIE fighters just standing here?”

A commandeer couched, looking at his arm pad. “They uhm… have been disabled sir, with a manual override.”

“A manual override?” Hux exploded. “How can it be that on the Abysmal II of all Star Destroyers, everything can go to shits by a _manual override_?”

“Design flaw… hmm…” The commandeer looked like he desperately needed a glass of water and Hux looked like he desperately needed to ram his boot up this man’s ass.

“Well, hooded figures are coming out of the exit ramp now,” said Captain Phasma who’s also walked over to the window on the right. “I say hooded figures but we damn well know that's Skywalker and the girl. They are boarding the Abysmal II. The girl also has a lightsaber. An outdated blue-white droid is accompanying them.”

Lumpy and Chewbacca looked at each other in surprise. Luke, Rey and R2-D2!

Captain Phasma sighed. “Oh- oh! T-950, nooo, I told you to pay more attention during the lightsaber training simulations...”

“They killed the entire unit,” said General Hux, dumbfounded.

Kylo Ren stared blankly into space, a vein popping up on his forehead.

“They are advancing quickly, the doors close behind them as if another droid is hacking into the locks. Aaand they’re here. Yep.” said Captain Phasma, checking the video cameras in the hallway. Not even a second after that, a large explosion was heard as someone was shooting at the blaster doors leading to the helm.

“Thank you for the captivating narration, Captain” Kylo gritted his teeth.

“Quick!” General Hux exclaimed. “The other exit!”

In their haste, the three Commanders let the Wookies and the troopers be and hurried themselves out of the second exit on the other side of the helm. Not even seconds later, the blast doors were penetrated by a bright yellow lightsaber. BB-69 chirped triumphantly as the blue-white droid commonly known as R2-D2 rolled through the hole in the blaster droids. The remaining troopers and the commandeer were no match against the Jedi and his padawan, and with three or four masterful slashes they all fell to the floor, dead as worms.

“Chewie!” Rey smiled, and ran over to free the Wookies from their constraints. Behind her, a tad slower, or no let's be honest here, much slower than he used to be, Luke Skywalker. He dropped his hood and nodded to Chewbacca, who cried in joy and sorrow and hasted over to hug his old friend.

“Whr? [ _How didst thee findeth us? Wherefore didst thee coequal wanteth to findeth us?_ ]

Rey struggled with Chewie's wording, and replied: “Luke decided an integral part of my training was to go back to General Leia, watch him get yelled at for four hours, and then head from a sobbing General Leia that she send you away to the First Order to get her son back.”

Luke made a “what?” face, and sheathed his saber.

“We decided to eh- what's the word...” Rey looked over at her teacher.

“Borrow _,”_ Luke nodded.

“Yes, _borrowed_ the Falcon and seem to be here right on time too so save your asses.” Rey's eyes shined brightly as they regrouped as far away from the torture thing as possible. “By the way, I'm Rey from Jakku. You must be Lumpawarrump, right?”

Lumpy nodded and shook her hand. He immediately fell in love with Rey's enthusiastic approach to commandeering a ship and sending it right into the heart of the enemy just to save their furry asses, and kick some in the progress.

Chewbacca wiped away a tear and picked up the bowcaster the guarding troopers had dropped. “ROWAAAGH!” [ _Let’s hunt some Knights!_ ]


	17. Grey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It would be really convenient to do that do the doors leading out to the, oh I’m just taking a stab in the dark here, the goddamn docks, Kylo Ren?” the General panted, running towards the far end of the radio tower.
> 
> “I can remember you putting special bolts into place that cannot be pushed open with my abilities,” noted Ren with an ‘I told you so’-tone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greige is a colour.

The entire Abysmal was brought in the highest state of alert, but the three Commanders soon learned the Resistance's droid had closed all blaster doors leading to the central hallway. As the only other way out was through a secondary hallway leading to the docks, the trio-in-command Knights were locked in, together with only a handful of troopers and some useless commandeers.

“Great design,” Ren sneered, as he hid behind the granite statue centered in the lobby. The Wookies hadn’t come out of the helm yet, and time ticked away as the Knights of Ren had unsheathed their sabers and patrolled the lobby.

“I’ll take it into account, Ren,” said General Hux angrily. “Now SL Snoke, or Mr. Paranoid is gone we can do away with the _exact security system_ that trapped us now.”

Captain Phasma hushed the two bickering Commanders. “They’re coming.”

In an act not praiseworthy for grace but mostly for bravery, the two Wookies shot the blaster doors to the lobby right in half, and stormed inside grunting and yelling. Behind them, the bearded Jedi master followed, a wave of loosely draped greige linen, and after him Rey, wielding the yellow saber like it was a literal ray of sunlight.

The remaining commandeers and troopers where the first ones down, as well as one Knight of Ren fatally shot in the chest by Chewie's quarrel.

[ _That’s TWO, Wookies! Count your shots!_ ] Rey screamed as she unleashed a flurry of slashes towards the Knights. Lumpy retreated back behind the blaster door to shoot from a distance. Only Phasma and Hux had any long-distance weapons left, and were clearly having trouble hitting Rey who dashed and Force-slapped every bullet away. Her Force-powers had only increased after following proper training. The moment Phasma and Hux had to reload, Rey pushed forward to combat the remaining four Knights of Ren head-on.

The Jakku girl blocked every lash the Knight in front of her dealt, and the feeble red lightsaber was no match for her strong yellow crystal. With a single push forward, she lopped the Knight’s head clean from his body. Two down.

Besides Rey, Chewbacca beat his own Knight opponent with a piece of the blaster door, which turned out to be a very reasonable blunt weapon. The Knight fell to the ground and prayed for mercy before being struck right on the head and losing consciousness. Three down.

After shooting his last shot, Lumpy cast his bowcaster aside. No time to reload. He quickly grabbed a red light saber from the floor and activated it. To his delight, Rey gifted him an encouraging smile during her own battle with one of the knights.

Despite his weekly training, Lumpy hardly stood a chance against the Force-wielding knight before him. The young Wookie couldn’t dodge the blow dealt by the red lightsaber to his shoulder “Owww!” he yelled in pain, one knee to the floor, teeth clenched together. The two knights left standing aimed for Lumpy, but as soon as they readied their final blow, their light sabers flew out of their hands as if they were pulled by invisible robes.

The two remaining Knights of Ren crawled back to their Kylo, and hid together with them behind the statue.

“What are you doing? Get back there and kill those Wookies!” ordered Kylo Ren.

“My apologies, Kylo, but that is actual Luke Skywalker over there and we're not fighting him.”

Hux noticed Ren's almost calm face, and tried to signal Ren to just flee, just get to the pods and get away and regroup and try again, but Kylo Ren made up his mind. Without as much as one look in Hux' general direction, he got up from behind the statue to face his old master.

Silence fell in the lobby, and the two men didn’t exchange a word. Kylo Ren unsheathed his lightsaber and let go of the tension in his knees. He’d also counted the quarrels, and knew the Wookies had depleted their first round. With confidence, he strutted forward, making up for his terrible form with pure talent and hatred.

Luke didn’t speak a word. The blue light of his saber reflected in his determined eyes. Stance, perfect. Head, cocked to the side and gaze locked with his nephew's.

Suddenly, Ren darted forward as their sabres struck each other and the other Wookies jumped out of the way, dodging the sparks flying from the two weapons. Rey also ran for cover, while Chewbacca tended to his son's wound.

The old Skywalker wasn’t too quick on his feet, but the power he unleashed through the Force almost brought Kylo Ren to his knees. He remembered the overwhelming might of Luke's Force from his training, but more than twenty years had passed. Neither of them was what they used to be.

“I notice your beard is not the only one that has become grey, Uncle,” Ren taunted, only to be met with a disinterested smug from his old master.

Luke continued to unleash wave after wave of both light and dark Force energy on him, until Kylo Ren was sufficiently blinded and Luke almost hit him in the chest.

_You are hesitant._

Enraged, Ren tried to harness the Force again through the burning anger in his chest, but noticed how much more effort it took him. Luke cast up tall barriers around him, and every pound against them resonated a tenfold back onto Kylo Ren.

_You are divided._

Luke pushed forward again, hitting Rens sabre right on the hilt. Ren parried and lunged his full body weight forward to break their deadlock. He tried to grab a hold of the Force once more to choke the old Jedi, but it slipped right through his fingers as his rage grew more fiery with every minute he failed to beat this sickening man.

 _You are_ _**weak** _ _._

“I am not weak!” Ren screamed. “Get out of my head!”

Hux’ voice brought him back to the lobby.  “Ren, whatever the fuck you’re doing there, Snoke is DEAD! He cannot reach you any longer!”

Captain Phasma chimed in. “Stop being angsty and just kill the damn Jedi!”

Ren felt tears breaking in his eyes as he spotted Chewbacca, his bowcaster reloaded and aimed right at his head. He could take the shot, if he wanted, and probably hit Ren. He didn’t. He was waiting for something else. Someone else.

Suddenlyl, Lumpy lunged forward and managed to hit Kylo Ren in a moment of distraction with his stolen red saber. Despite his left shoulder burning and stinging like hell, Lumpy was determined to fight until either of his arms fell off.

Ren growled in pain and grabbed his leg, where a nasty, bloody gash from Lumpy’s attack soaked right through his robes. The pain certainly fueled his hate and thus strength through the Force, but it also weakened his morale, letting a seemingly untrained Wookie take a hit at him like that.

Kylo Ren tried to laugh his wound away, but was taken aback when Luke, Lumpy and also Rey charged at him at the same time. Even though Kylo Ren showed unusually strong persistence in fighting off his three saber-wielding opponents, the old wounds from the bridge on Starkiller Base still held him back, and pounding on them was not going to help this time.

“Kylo, retreat,” ordered Phasma and shot at Rey, who managed to flick the laser beam away with her saber but toppled over on the ground.

Kylo Ren broke free from his anger and ran back towards the statue, where he flopped down next to Hux, breathing heavily and spitting fire from his eyes. His leg wound burned and pounded.

“The radio tower…” General Hux hissed and pulled Ren further back behind the statue. “It’s on the other side of the lobby but there are escape pods.”

“The radio tower is still under construction,” noted Captain Phasma, “the floor opens up way deep into the core structure. There is a construction bridge, but I’m very certain it’s not suitable for combat.”

“Good!” said Ren, following his natural Skywalker instincts for battling on bridges without sufficient railing, and hoping to confront and eventually kill Luke there.

“Over my dead body,” said Hux, and suddenly pulled Ren closer to him. Captain Phasma tilted her helmet. “Getting comfortable?”

“Come on Phasma, you knew from day one.”

“Should have placed some bets…”

“Now is not the time!” Ren gritted his teeth and suddenly pushed for the door towards the radio control room. With a skillful flick of the Force he managed to dodge one of Chewie's deadly energy quarrels - he already survived one back at the thermal oscillator and wasn’t particularly hungry for another.

As through a miracle, the trio managed to reach the door, which was quite easy to Force-push open.

“It would be really convenient to do that do the doors leading out to the, _oh_ I’m just taking a stab in the dark here, _the goddamn docks_ , Kylo Ren?” the General panted, running towards the far end of the radio tower.

“I can remember you putting special bolts into place that cannot be pushed open with my abilities,” noted Ren with an ‘I told you so’-tone.

Hux added this to his mental list of reasons to strangle Ren in his sleep, but right now there were more pressing matters at hand: crossing the radio tower bridge.


	18. Bridge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Yes Ren, I am afraid,” yelled the General, face pale with terror, “I am afraid. This is a work hazard. How can we expect our human workers to function if their General dares not take a step on this bridge?” aka Hux has a fear of heights.

The bridge was indeed just as unsuitable for combat as Captain Phasma had noted. It was little more than a steel ramp with sickening holes in it so one wouldn’t miss a thing about the sight deep down into the core of the Abysmal. Steam rising from the engine far down below - an isolated one to power only the control room and the radio tower, another ingenious solution to common First Order problems. The cold green building lights dried the protective paint at a special frequency, but now only added to the moodiness of the place.

First, Ren. He walked that railing-less bridge like it was his birthright.

Then, Phasma. She always made a note to include difficult terrain in her training simulations.

General Hux hesitated visibly. Now that he looked down into the greenish core, he was terrified. He liked space - there was no bottom to fall to his death to. This tower was the exact opposite of space, both in color, size and likeliness of crushing all the bones in your body once you’d fall the full 1,200 meters down.

“Come one General!” yelled Captain Phasma, as she already saw Rey's light saber slash through the blaster door bit by bit.

“Are you afraid, General?”

"Yes Kylo Ren, I am afraid,” yelled the General, face pale with terror, “I am afraid. This is a work hazard. How can we expect our human workers to function if their General dares not take a step on this bridge?”

“For fucks sake Hux, they are going to shoot you in the back!”

Nearing hyperventilation, Hux faced his single biggest fear and stepped on the narrow bridge. Nauseated, he forced himself to go forward until he found himself stuck in the middle. Pearls of sweat dripped down his forehead, and he looked up to Ren in despair.

“Help me,” he muttered. Ren wasn’t sure he understood him correctly, and just stared at him. “Help me please, Ren. Please. I can’t go on by myself.”

Captain Phasma audibly rolled her eyes underneath her helmet. "Go get him, loverboy."

Ren's eyes spit fire at Phasma, but decided to leave their quarrel for another time. Ren turned back to the narrow bridge, and stepped back on it ignoring the sickening feeling of the depth below them. The bridge measured a little short of ten meters across, but somehow Hux managed to get stuck in the exact middle, the most unsafe and wobbly part of all. Under normal circumstances, Ren would never have thought of going back for the General, but Hux looked at him with genuine, bone-chilling fear in his eyes. He would certainly be stuck forever until he'd die of dehydration if Ren didn't help him get off the _goddamn_ brige.

Five, six long steps, and Ren was there. Hux grabbed him tight and didn’t seem to ever want to let go. He gasped for air in terror.

“Fuck this… Fuck all of this…” Hux panted. “Ren, this is the most inappropriate place ever, or the most seeing your family history, but I need you to know.”

Ren only stared into Hux' green eyes, his hands squashed by the terrified General.

“It is of absolute importance. Ren, don’t turn around. Walk back with me and face the Jedi's together, and SL Snoke, and every goddamn rebel in the universe. And once we've kill them all, take command with me.”

Captain Phasma opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

Hux felt Ren’s surprisingly slow heartbeat against his chest, and he exhaled. “Take command with me, Ren, together. I have never loved anything else, including Starkiller Base, as much as you. Let us rule the Galaxy together.”

Ren didn’t answer. All light in his heart suddenly died as he realized the significance of SL Snoke’s final vision to him. He was right. The great divide he thought to rid by killing his father was ever-present, even larger than before. The truth was as urgent as the Jedi's breaking down the blaster door separating them. Ren realized there was no other way to win this fight.

With slow paces, he walked backward as he guided General Hux forward over the bridge, to the safe side, to Phasma. Every step he took was another weight on his heart, while General Hux slowly relaxed against his chest.

Once they were far away from the treacherous bridge, Ren let go of Hux, who let out a sigh of relief. “In hindsight I am happy we are on _this_ side of the bridge. I dropped my blaster,” he babbled, before feeling the Force against his lips shutting him up.

Ren’s smoldering eyes suddenly focused into Hux’. It really was a place of significance, bridges.

Hux, poor Hux, only came to the same realization seconds later. He slowly shook his head in disbelief.

The Knight nodded, slowly, and unsheathed his lightsaber while Phasma made a noise, desperately trying to reload her blaster.

Hux’ greatcoat fell to the floor, his voice trembling with regret. “And here we are, Ren. I offer everything to you, and you want more." He shook his head. "Your obsession with the Dark Side is your one weakness."

“Your trust in me is yours,” Ren answered, and Hux wasn’t sure if he heard Ren’s voice out loud or only in his head.

Hux didn’t shed a tear. He just closed his eyes, nodded, and said: “Do it. Be great.”

With a single thrust, Ren unleashed his weapon inside Hux, who immediately dropped to the floor as all life drained from him in the most excruciating seconds Ren had felt, nearing that of his father’s death. He didn’t scream in words, but on the other side of the Galaxy Leia felt another deep wound in the Force that brought her to her knees once more. Rey felt it too, a thousandfold since her training had heightened her sensitivities, and screamed in disgust at Kylo Ren.

Captain Phasma threw her helmet on the floor as if the visors had tricked her. “G-general...” she panted and crawled over to him to cradle his pale face as blood continued to gush from his chest. She tried to reanimate her second great leader of the day, this one so much more important and so much more admired in her eyes. “What have you done, Kylo!?” she hissed.

Kylo Ren didn’t look back. He’d already seen it in Snoke’s vision.

The Knight crossed the bridge in eleven long steps the very moment the Jedi's and Wookies blasted through the door. His Force-grip was immense and knocked his opponents down, save for Luke who pushed back with all his might. Ren's Force-power felt near-invincible, fueled by the death of that General on the other side of the bridge.

Rey forced herself back up, already having familiarized herself with the unstable emotions in Ren’s use of the Force, days and days earlier on the crumbling Starkiller base. She knew then, and Luke also knew now, that this power was only an illusion.

Nevertheless, the battle was highly favored towards Ren, as he twisted and pushed and abused the Force to unleash all his anger on Rey, Luke and Lumpy. Rey parried all blows with great effort, and had Luke not stood beside her she would have succumbed to Ren’s sudden increase in might.

Lumpy was on fire too, completely ignoring the pain in his shoulder and battling the Knight with everything he had. Every story of the Dark Side corrupting people flashed through his head, as he could only think of one thing: destroy the Dark Side. From the corner of his eye, he suddenly saw Chewbacca again, enraged as he pointed the bowcaster right towards Kylo Ren’s head.

“GROH!”[ _Dad, no!_ ] Lumpy cried, hating to see his friend turn into the killer of his best friend's son, but Chewbacca winked at him and pulled the trigger.

Right that instant, the epic fight was cut awkwardly short by the loud bang from Lumpy’s bowcaster. Kylo Ren fell to the ground, entangled in the safari net and hitting his head on a conveniently placed piece of metal on the floor. This instantly knocked the Knight out cold, and silence hit the radio tower like a bomb.

Lumpy sighed in relief and fell on the floor, his knees suddenly giving way to the stress of the fight with a Dark Side user at his full potential. Rey hasted towards him and helped him up, checking the bandages on the wound on his shoulder. Chewbacca stepped through the hole in the blaster door to pat his son on the back.

“Bhor.” [ _Didst thee very much bethink I would wend against orders from Leia?_ ] Chewbacca grinned and helped Lumpy stand up, looking at the painful gash on his shoulder.

“Grrrgh…” [ _I will be okay_ ,] Lumpy panted, sheathing and dropping the red lightsaber on the floor. [ _Thanks, Dad, Rey..._ ]

Luke said nothing, and Force-pulled Ren's saber towards him. He looked at it with slight disbelief, and then laughed before throwing the damn thing deep into the Abysmal's core. Some reunions were better cut short.

Chewbacca swapped the safari nets out for real quarrels again, and contemplated whether or not to also kill the screaming Captain on the other side. “You will pay for this!” Phasma cried, and forced herself to get up and point her blaster at the four.

“Leave it,” spoke Luke all of a sudden. “And leave the Knight here, too. From what I have felt through the Force today, Ben Solo truly is no more.” He slowly paced back to the lobby, donning his hood again and speaking no more for the remainder of their walk back to the docks.

 

~

 

The four quickly boarded the Falcon, while Chewie ordered Lumpy to take as much blasters and expensive looking stuff with them as the Falcon could carry. With R2-D2 and BB-69 working together on the shields and detection system, the Falcon easily disappeared back into hyperspace leaving the TIE-fighters far behind him. Somewhere during the calm after the storm, Lumpy felt the sinking feeling of knowing they failed their mission, but decided to ignore it as he was eager to get back to the Rebel base. He was the first to board the Falcon and didn’t even go to the cockpit to get a final look at the Abysmal.

BB-69 beeped slowly, as he rolled towards the main hold where Lumpy was sitting in a corner, completely overwhelmed by everything that happened on the Abysmal II.

Chewbacca hadn’t made radio contact with General Leia yet. He remembered how she reacted if Han botched a mission, and something inside him feared she would not go easy on someone who wasn’t her husband.

While Rey went to comfort Lumpy and Luke silently pleased himself with two or three bottles of aged Corellian wine left in some secret compartment, Chewbacca set course for D’Quar. As he sat back comfortably in his pilot seat, he contemplated what he was going to do with all the money he won in numerous bets he placed on SL Snoke’s death. He’d love to see the face of old Lando when he told him SL Snoke was not only dead as a worm, but it was Chewie himself who killed him! Or so he was going to lead them to believe. Really, a lot of things were going on in that command center, it’s hard to make an objective judgement in a situation like that.

Chewie laughed. He sounded just like Han now.


	19. Cessation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lumpy, Chewbacca, Rey and Luke return home to learn their mission didn't fail entirely, and might even find some closure.

Back on the Resistance Base, General Leia was the first to strut towards the Millennium Falcon in her nightgown. It was in the middle of the night when the Falcon landed again after a slight detour at the Mos Eisley cantina to have a Han Solo-commemoration, Wookie-style. They drank, they played games, they cried. Rey fell asleep on the couch, resting her head against Chewie's furry shoulder. Luke broke down and told them everything, about the Jedi massacre and the exile and Rey's training. Chewbacca cried over Han, and over Ben. They consumed another entire bottle with Chewbacca who remained in the cantina long after everyone else had left. Lumpy and Rey dragged the two drunk old men back to their huts and left them asleep when they took off at dawn. 

It took Lumpy another 15 hours to fly the ship back to D’Qar as the hyperdrive was malfunctioning and even R2-D2 didn’t dare to fix it, or wake up Chewbacca for that matter. Now they finally returned, the whole welcoming committee was there and ready, bare-footed and in pajamas.

Chewbacca went first, followed by BB-69 who beeped enthusiastically as he and R2-D2 were the only ones without a huge hangover. It was then that Lumpy realized they never contacted the Resistance base to tell about their little detour, and until now they probably thought they were dead. Oops.

“I- I have heard reports,” Leia started, waving her hands around and looking as if she hadn’t slept in two days, “I have heard reports that SL Snoke is _dead_ and the _Millennium Falcon_ was seen at the First Order base!?”

Chewbacca nodded. “Horggh.” [ _That shall be the short version of the story._ ]

“Dameron, help me here… When have I given orders to _kill SL Snoke_ during the mission briefing?”

Poe, in a bright orange pajama with little embroidered BB-8’s, shook his head in disbelief. “However you accomplished that, that was amazing, and you’re getting medals! All of you!”

The tired, hungover heroes cheered, and Chewbacca let out a happy cry.

General Leia ushered everyone inside the base, where strong coffee and a hearty breakfast was waiting for everyone. The Resistance canteen quickly filled up with rebels eager to hear the brave story of the Red Team. Lumpy learned they'd been the talk of the day ever since word of mouth told that Red Team had abandoned the beacon mission and went rogue, and no one other than actual Luke Skywalker turned up at the Resistance base with Rey and stole the Falcon and R2-D2.

General Leia listened tiredly, and nodded every time Lumpy told of another heroic deed during their secret mission. Soon, she found herself snoozing and slightly drooling on Poe’s shoulder, who decided it was time to take the old General back to bed. Luke nodded and seemed to smile, knowing a great burden had fallen off his sister's shoulder.

“She’s had a rough couple of days,” said Poe, as Lumpy helped him to carry Leia back to her quarters. “Why don’t we check out the beacons and fix the debriefing for her?”

Lumpy agreed, and the two men returned to the canteen where they urged the Wookies and Team Black and Blue to get their asses, hairy or not, back to the command room. If they had the stomach to fight Knights of the Force and then go drinking at a Mos Eisley cantina, they had the stomach to do the entire debriefing in one sitting.

“Allriight, I can see some tired eyes everywhere, you’re slipping, but I don’t want to leave you hanging with the question if our mission succeeded or not. Team Black?”

A tired Finn stepped forward. “Team Black has successfully installed the beacon!” He pressed a button on one of the receiver screens and indeed, a smooth jazz tune drizzled from the speakers. Applause and praise filled the cramped command room, as Poe, Finn and BB-8 grinned from ear to ear. Rey stood besides them and looked as proud as she could be.

“Team Blue, your report?”

Jess stepped forward, her arm in a cast. “We met with some difficulties when entering the kitchen. A large humanoid alien who called himself Bartholomew refused to let us in, unless we promised to take him back with us. So we did!”

The green-skinned humanoid stepped forward and was met with a lavish applause from the Rebels welcoming him to the Resistance. “Wait until you try my bantha fries!” he promised, and sat back down.

“Well, let’s check your beacon…” Another equally smooth piece of jazz music, and another round of well-deserved applause for Team Blue.

“Team R-r-red,” started Poe, and shook his head in disbelief. “What can I say. They took our orders, threw them out the window and made their own plan, which is very dangerous and _technically_ treason, buuuut here at the Resistance we don’t want to act on a technicality.” Poe’s thick eyebrows furrowed at Chewbacca, who shrugged his shoulders in defence.

“Red Two, come forward.”

Lumpy peeled himself away from the chair, and in true Lumpy fashion retold the story with a calm but captivating voice. The cheering rebels soon quieted down, mesmerized by the Wookies voice, some not daring to admit they understood nothing of ShyriiWook and just nodding and smiling when everyone else did.

“Hey!” Poe snapped his fingers at a young Rebel girl who had fallen asleep. “This is the best part, where they kill Snoke!”

Lumpy laughed. “Howrgh!” [ _Chewbacca took his bowcaster and shot SL Snoke right in the face! Like right on the freaking nose! He didn’t die instantly -_ ] Chewbacca gave him a slightly too harsh pat on the shoulder, [ _\- b-but he eventually succumbed to his wounds. And the best part comes next. We didn't even need to kill that general, you know the one from Starkiller Base? Our dear friend Kylo Ren took care of business for us! Then we knocked him unconscious too and got the heck out of here with blasters. One for every Rebel!_ ]

Chewie produced the bags and bags of blasters they looted from the Abysmal, and soon all the Rebels ran outside to shoot their blasters towards the rising sun.

Lumpy laughed as he also shot a blaster. “Gwor?” [ _Do you think Snoke really died, Chewie?_ ]

The senior Wookie shrugged. “Bwagh.” [ _Yes, but doest’t matter at this point? We didn’t accomplish what we cameth for, but if 't be true I am honest with thee, this mission doth feel one hundred percent complete to me._ ] He stared at the Millennium Falcon, doused in the golden sun of another day, another chance. Chewie considered himself free of debt seeing the last part of Ben Solo disappear before his eyes in the radio tower of Abysmal II. Or no - Ben Solo had long been gone, when SL Snoke grabbed him with his pesky little hands and pulled him to the Dark Side.

He remembered Luke telling him back in the cantina that he considered the age of light and dark to be over now, and an age of Gray Jedi would begin. No longer would Force-users unite under one symbol, but remain free and independent, one pair of master and apprentice at the time. As Luke had looked over at the sleeping Rey, he whispered, “Chewie, my friend... _You will not believe whose daughter she is_.”

Chewie didn't care, to be honest. His heart only had room for one child, his own son Lumpy, who redeemed himself in a fashion that was grand even to Wookie honor standards. How he could have cared for Ben Solo and his stupid life debt seemed so foolish to him now. Still, even though he had reasoned his feelings away quite well, his tiny heart knew he would one day fly out to try again. If not for Leia, then for Han.

Chewie noticed Chewbacca was lost in his own thoughts, and left him. Not soon after, Chewy turned around and decided to gift the Falcon to the Resistance, and think of a plan for himself in the morning. As Han said, it was never too late for a new beginning.

~

Once the base had quieted down completely, Poe, Lumpy, BB-8 and BB-69 sat down in the command room together, grabbing another beer while enjoying the silence. In a corner, Finn and Rey had snuggled up, fingers entangled and draped under a large General coat.

“Drinking at 8am,” sighed Poe, “as if I’m back in my teenage days.”

Lumpy huffed. “Hrorg.” [ _Don’t sweat it. We deserve this after that crazy mission. Oh, I talked with Chewie and we want to remain a part of the Resistance, but for me, please no more rogue missions.]_

Poe laughed. “I’ll put you on resource management then!” He booped BB-8 on the head who promptly produced a beer opener. Poe opened his bottle, took a sip and sat back in his chair. “Although you guys did well, what even happened to the beacon?”

“Grghh.” [ _The plan changed, and we simply forgot about it._ ]

BB-69 suddenly woke up out of stand-by and started beeping loudly.

Poe almost fell off his chair. “Are you serious, BB-69!?” seemingly understanding the frantic beeps of the little droid.

BB-8 tilted his head, and almost looked a little jealous.

Meanwhile, BB-69 rolled towards the receiver and pressed some buttons. Suddenly, what sounded like the smoothest jazz he’d ever heard blasted from the speakers as Lumpy rested back into his chair in relief. That clever little droid took his sweet time to install the beacon while the two Wookies were busy fighting some Knights of Ren.

“Genius, BB-69! I hope that little shit of a Kylo Ren never finds out where that music is coming from,” grinned Poe before bursting out in laughter together with Lumpy.


	20. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren's angsty dream is suddenly interrupted by the cold hars reality in which he killed Hux. Phasma comforts him and has not one, but two surprises.

Ren’s tired gaze focused as the vision of Hux’ quarters sharpened in front of him. The single viewport opening up to an exploding Starkiller Base, dowsing the minimalist and dark room in bright hot red light.

Ren stepped towards the window, but didn’t feel his feet touching the ground. He heard a voice calling his name- Hux' voice. Ren tried to search while the room around him kept changing as in a fever dream.

 _This is probably a fever dream,_ Ren rationalized. When he looked over his shoulder, Hux would be standing somewhere, scrolling through his screen or fixing his gloves. He did not seem to notice Ren at all. 

From the corner of his eye, Ren spotted a yellow post-it note in the middle of the viewport looking over the broken record of the Starkiller exploding.

 _Note to self: tell Ren about the S thing._ Ticked off.

Ren furrowed his brows. The sex thing or the Snoke thing?

As he looked over Hux' room, he saw another note on one of the minimalist chrome desks. _Note to self: suggest zero-gravity action to Ren_. This one was also ticked off, as Ren pleasantly recalled. He found more and more notes, all of them ticked off. It lead all the way back to bed, where the final one was cleverly hidden underneath Hux' pillow that Ren loved to steal when sulking over their inevitable departure after -

_Note to self: tell Ren not to murderize me in a grandeur of Dark Side mumbo-jumbo._

"What the hell, Hux," Ren mumbled angrily. This was starting to feel like a joke, and Ren tried to run to Hux to tell him to make it stop, to make it all stop, but his feet were melting into the chrome floors, all while Hux seemed to move further away from him without moving at all.

Oh yeah. Ren remembered now. He totally _did_ murderize Hux.

The gravity on the situation dawned on him with the grace of ten bricks duck-taped together and dropped from a high place. The Knight tried to mentally reach out to SL Snoke, to tell him of his glorious victory against the divide within him and the sudden surge to power, and how he defeated and killed Luke Skywalker!

Snoke! Always prying in his head, watching, lurking in the back of his mind at every move and every thought for – _oh!_ as long as Ren could remember...! - remained silent. 

As the dream room crumbled beneath his feet, Ren fell silent too as the awful realization dawned up on him.

He was alone. 

 

~

 

“Wake up, Kylo,”a familiar voice shouted and Ren was rudely pulled from his angsty fever dream by Phasma shaking him around.

It took a while for him to focus on his surroundings. White sheets, droids, rhythmical heart monitor beeps. The medical bay back on the Finalizer. Relief. He wasn’t dead himself, even though his right temple and leg hurt like hell.

“Where are the Jedi?” he gurgled, and coughed up another mouthful of blood. He’d been wounded more than he was aware of during his power-mad rage on the bridge at the radio tower.

“They are gone, but not forgotten,” smiled Phasma. Ren suddenly noticed she wasn’t wearing her shiny chrome armor, but a custom-fitted parade uniform rivaling that of Hux in statute and intimidation. Besides her stood two sniper troopers with chrome palates.

“We’ll track them later,” said Ren, and rested his sore head back in the pillow. He wasn’t even interested in killing Luke anymore. “You are looking fancy today, Phasma. Did I miss Hux’ funeral?” he grinned sarcastically.

Phasma frowned. “Did you forget you’re not wearing your helmet, Kylo? You try to joke but your face is dowsed in regret.”

“It was the only logical thing to do,” tried Ren, mostly to convince himself, but he indeed felt the worst regret in his life so far. His heart had sunken right back into his chest and through the mattress and the floor beneath them, through the entire core of the Finalizer and deeper down into the endless void beneath them. His lungs crushed together with every breath when he desperately tried to not think about Hux anymore forever.

“I should have been honest with you,” Phasma sighed and sat next to Ren on his bed, resting a friendly hand on his shoulder. “SL Snoke’s ways led you astray, and in many ways, us too. His visions of grandeur lead thousands of my men into certain death. Good, loyal men, Kylo Ren. Snoke knew, as did Hux and I, that you were the final piece to make his puzzle complete." 

Ren said nothing, taken aback by these sudden words of rapprochement.

Phasma continued - it was weird to see her speak without her helmet, to see the fierceness and loyalty in her eyes that made her so loved among her men. "Now Snoke is dead, the First Order can truly blossom. Snoke was an experiences Dark Side user, but also a fool. He indulged in your blind following of the Dark Side and lead you to believe you needed to sever all ties with what - and whom you love."

Ren sneered. “What do you know about the Dark Side?”

Phasma pinched his exposed shoulder. Again, the Knight had managed to be shirtless. “I don’t need to be a Force user to see you and the General were invincible. The two of you could have inspired thousands and bring great victories to the First Order - no visions of the future needed to foretell this." Her grip suddenly increased in strength, which made Ren whimpered softly. "It was my fault for not including you in our plan sooner, but it was Hux fault to fall in love with you." She smiled. "Although he did make me and some other people on the Finalizer _very rich_.”

“A martyr doesn’t inspire anyone,” Ren sighed, completely done with the betting thing, and turned his head to the side. Every fiber in his body screamed at him in blame. He wondered how long it would take him to die if he just opened the viewpoint there and walked right into the void of space.

“Can you stop talking about me like I’m dead?” a familiar voice groaned.

Ren nearly jumped to the ceiling as a droid removed the curtain from the bed next to him, and revealed a very seriously injured and very seriously pissed-off General Hux. His eyes shone madly as if it was only pure rage that kept him breathing right now.

Ren tried to resist the urge to throw up in relief.

Phasma patted the Knight on the back before pushing him back on his bed. “The General is stable, but his condition is very serious. He needs rest.” Of course, Ren thought, of course it was Phasma who saved Hux with CPR and an emergency medical droid while Ren had been busy gloating over his so-called power.

General Hux huffed. “I’ll be fine. I won’t let myself get killed by a shoddy assassination attempt like that. I’ll make a note to work on that, Kylo Ren.”

Kylo Ren didn’t speak but just stared at his General as if the intensity of his gaze could speed up the healing process.

Phasma rose from Ren’s bed, and nodded to her two troopers. “I’ll leave you to your quarrels. There’s a lot of things to take care of on the Abysmal II. Those Wookies really knew right where to hit us...”

“Thank you, Captain,” said Ren, and his gratitude was met with a serene smile from Phasma.

“It’s nothing, Kylo Ren. Oh, and… It’s Supreme Leader Phasma now.” She winked and turned around. leaving the two other commanders dumbfounded.

The General and Ren were silent for a full five minutes, before they both turned their head and locked gazes. Ren resisted the urge to crawl into his bed and grabbing him tight, because he was still not one hundred percent sure he’d truly woken up from his fever dream.

“I was supposed to be Supreme Leader,” the General sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I knew we shouldn't have left her alone with SL Snoke."

Ren was not interested in talking about Phasma. He sneered, trying to suppress his urge to kiss Hux until he healed. “I suppose a thank you for eventually including me in your secret coup plans, and my apologies for making you fall in love with me.”

“Don’t think I will forgive you easily,” said Hux with a serious tremble in his voice.

“I can be patient,” said Ren, reaching a long arm towards the General’s bed.

“You hurt me deeply, Ren.”

“I will find a way to apologize,” whispered Ren, tears in his eyes and his long finger making a grabby motion.

With a sigh, Hux gave in and stuck out his arm to meet Ren’s hand halfway. His hand felt cold, but alive.

“Package for General Hux,” a trooper announced as he entered the room, and Ren quickly tried to pull his hand away. Hux’ grip was strong, however. Let them know. Let them see.

The trooper paused for a moment, looking at his two commanders holding hands in their hospital bed, General Hux looking like he came back from the dead with pure willpower and Ren crying ugly, sobbing and dripping snot into his sheets.

“Well? Unwrap it, trooper,” urged Hux. Ren was right. Rage did keep you going.

The trooper quickly unwrapped the package to reveal a platinum miniature Death Star, the collector’s edition with working LED lights and sound.

Despite everything, it did make Hux smile, and as the trooper placed the miniature on his nightstand, he looked over at Ren.

“Is it adequate?” the Knight asked.

“Most adequate,” the General smiled, and rested his head back into his pillow.  

 

 **FIN**.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yooo THE END! Thank you for staying with me through this entire thing. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. I really had a blast, and while it may not be the best thing that ever came out of my keyboard I can only hope it made you smile once or twice. 
> 
> I included the Epilogue to round off some things with ~* Supreme Leader Phasma *~ and to provide you guys with a happy Kylux ending ;') I hope it's not too lame hahaha.
> 
> I'll be posting more writing here and on tumblr: its-kylux-baby


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